QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 

TO THE SIX PARTS OF THE 

SMALL CATECHISM 

OF 

DR. MARTIN LUTHER. 



Translated fbom the Fouri-jj. j.:- ition of the House- 

Sch( »l- and Church-Book for Christie . l. of the 

Lutheran Faith, of 

PASTOR WILHELM LOEHE 



EDWARD T. HORN, D. D. 



COLUMBIA, S. C. : 
W. J. DUFFIE. 



i .-...-.. ■■■ ^miiTiiTiTrrnTi 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



Shelf L.13Z.L & 


UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 

[jlfl 

TO THE SIX PARTS OF THE 

SMALL CATECHISM 

OF 

V 

DR. MARTIN LUTHER. 



Translated from the Fourth Edition of the House- 
School- and Church-Book for Christlans of the 
Lutheran Faith, of 

PASTOR WILHELM LOEHE 



BY 

EDWARD T. HORN, D. D. 




COLUMBIA, S. C. : 
W. J. DUFFIE 






THE LIBRARY 
OF CONGRESS 

WASHINGTON 






Copyright, 1893, 

BY 

EDWARD T. HORN. 



TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. 



In the successive prefaces to the four editions of his 
Explanation of the Catechism, Lohe says that he pre- 
pared it first of all for the use of scattered Lutherans 
in America. It is a part of his Book for the House, 
School and Church. As he says in his Three Books 
on the Church, "House, School and Church are made 
one Church by our precious Catechism." In this 
translation I have incorporated only the Definitions, 
the Explanation and the Questions about the Bible ; 
omitting the Proof-texts and the Questions for one 
about to go to the Holy Supper, for which I would refer 
to Luther's Small Catechism with Scripture Texts, 
published by The Lutheran Bookstore, Philadelphia. 

Doubtless there are many excellent explanations of 
the Catechism by approved teachers. The excellence 
of this explanation is, that it attempts no more than to 
analyze and explain Luther's Catechism itself. It 
does not try to find in it the whole scheme of doctrine. 
It is intended, like Luther's Catechism, to show a 
house-father how to teach his household. "The 
father, the children, the household, should use, pray, 
learn, prize it; and so it will become the cruse of 
the woman of Sarepta, in which the oil never fails." 

I find reason to criticise this excellent book only in 

(in) 



iv translator's prkface. 

those particulars in which the author seems to me to 
have gone beyond his purpose, and added to Luther's 
Catechism ; but I thought it right, and most helpful to 
the Church, to give as faithfully as I can the author's 
whole explanation. In conclusion, let me join him in 
asking those called to teach, to read Luther's advice 
in his Prefaces to his two Catechisms* 



ENCHIRIDION. 



THE 

SMALL CATECHISM 

OF 

DR. MARTIN LUTHER 

FOR 

PASTORS AND PREACHERS 



_ 



PREFACE OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER. 



Martin Luther to all faithful and godly pastors and 
preachers, Grace, Mercy and Peace, in fesus Christ 
our Lord! 

The deplorable condition in which I found religious 
affairs during a recent visitation of the congregations, 
has impelled me to publish this Catechism, or state- 
ment of the Christian doctrine, after having prepared 
it in very brief and simple terms. Alas ! what misery 
I beheld! The people, especially those who live in 
the villages, seem to have no knowledge whatever of 
Christian doctrine, and many of the pastors are igno- 
rant and incompetent teachers. And, nevertheless, 
they all maintain that they are Christians, that they 
have been baptized, and that they have received the 
Lord's Supper. Yet they cannot recite the Lord's 
Prayer, the Creed, or the Ten Commandments; they 
live as if they were irrational creatures, and now that 
the Gospel has come to them, they grossly abuse their 
Christian liberty. 

Ye bishops ! what answer will ye give to Christ for 
having so shamefully neglected the people, and paid 
no attention to the duties of your office? I invoke no 
evil on your heads. But you withhold the cup in the 
Lord's Supper, insist on the observance of your human 
• • ■'■■ • (7> • 



8 LUTHER'S PREFACE. 

laws, and yet, at the same time, do not take the least 
interest in teaching the people the Lord's Prayer, the 
Creed, the Ten Commandments, or any other part of 
the Word of God. Woe unto you ! 

Wherefore I beseech you in the Name of God, my 
beloved brethren, who are pastors or preachers, to en- 
gage heartily in the discharge of the duties of your 
office, to have mercy on the people who are entrusted 
to your care, and to assist us in introducing the Cate- 
chism among them, and especially among the young. 
And if any of you do not possess the necessary qualifi- 
cations, I beseech you to take at least the following 
forms, and read them, word for word, to the people, 
on this wise : — 

In the first place ; let the preacher take the utmost 
care to avoid all changes or variations in the text and 
wording of the Ten Commandments, the Lord's 
Prayer, the Creed, the Sacraments, etc. Let him, on 
the contrary, take each of the forms respectively, ad- 
here to it and repeat it anew, year after year. For 
young and inexperienced people cannot be success- 
fully instructed, unless we adhere to the same text or 
the same forms of expression. They easily become 
confused, when the teacher at one time employs a 
certain form of words and expressions, and, at another, 
apparently with a view to make improvements, adopts 
a different form. The result of such a course will be, 
that all the time and labor which we have expended 
will be lost. 

This point was well understood by our venerable 
fathers, who were accustomed to use the same words 



LUTHER'S PREFACE. 9 

in teaching the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten 
Commandments. We, too, should follow this plan 
when we teach these things, particularly in the case 
of the youug and ignorant, not changing a single 
syllable, nor introducing any variations when, year 
after year, we recur to these forms and recite them 
anew before our hearers. 

Choose, therefore, the form of words which best 
pleases you, and adhere to it perpetually. When you 
preach in the presence of intelligent and learned men, 
you are at liberty to exhibit your knowledge and skill, 
and may present and discuss these subjects in all the 
varied modes which are at your command. But when 
you are teaching the young, retain the same form and 
manner without change ; teach them, first of all, the 
Ten Commandments, the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, 
etc., always presenting the same words of the text, so 
that those who learn can repeat them after you, and 
retain them in the memory. 

But if any refuse to receive your instructions, tell 
them plainly that they deny Christ and are not Chris- 
tians ; such persons shall not be admitted to the Lord's 
Table, nor present a child for Baptism, nor enjoy any 
of our Christian privileges, but are to be sent back to 
the pope and his agents, and indeed, to Satan himself. 
Their parents and employers should, besides, refuse to 
furnish them with food and drink, and notify them 
that the government was disposed to banish from the 
country all persons of such a rude and intractable 
character. 

For although we cannot, and should not, compel 



IO IAJTHER S PRKFACK. 

them to exercise faith, we ought, nevertheless, to in- 
struct the great mass with all diligence, so that they 
may know how to distinguish between right and wrong 
in their conduct towards those with whom they live, 
or among whom they desire to earn their living. For 
whoever desires to reside in a city, and enjoy the 
rights and privileges which its laws confer, is also 
bound to know and obey those laws. God grant that 
such persons may become sincere believers ! But if 
they remain dishonest and vicious, let them at least 
withhold from public view the vices of their hearts. 

In the second place ; when those whom you are in- 
structing have become familiar with the words of the 
text, it is time to teach them to understand the mean- 
ing of those words, so that they may become ac- 
quainted with the object and purport of the lesson. 
Then proceed to another of the following forms, or, at 
your pleasure, choose any other which is brief, and 
adhere strictly to the same words and forms of expres- 
sion in the text, without altering a single syllable; 
besides, allow yourself ample time for the lessons. 
For it is not necessary that you should, on the same 
occasion, proceed from the beginning to the end of the 
several parts ; it will be more profitable if you pre- 
sent them separately, in regular succession. When 
the people have, for instance, at length correctly un- 
derstood the First Commandment, you may proceed to 
the Second, and so continue. By neglecting to ob- 
serve this mode, the people will be overburdened, and 
be prevented from understanding and retaining in 
memory any considerable part of the matter com- 
municated to them. 



mother's preface. ii 

In the third place ; when you have thus reached the 
end of this short Catechism, begin anew wdth the 
Large Catechism, and by means of it furnish the peo- 
ple with fuller and more comprehensive explanations. 
Explain here at large every Commandment, every 
Petition, and,' indeed, every part, showing the duties 
which they severally impose, and both the advantages 
which follow the performance of those duties, and also 
the dangers and losses which result from the neglect 
of them. Insist in an especial manner on such Com- 
mandments or other parts as seem to be most of all 
misunderstood or neglected by your people. It w T ill, 
for example, be necessary that you should enforce with 
the utmost earnestness the Seventh Commandment, 
which treats of Stealing, when you are teaching work- 
men, dealers, and even farmers and servants, inasmuch 
as many of these are guilty of various dishonest and 
thievish practices. So, too, it will be your duty to ex- 
plain and apply the Fourth Commandment with great 
diligence, when you are teaching children and unedu- 
cated adults, and to urge them to observe order, to be 
faithful, obedient and peaceable, as well as to adduce 
numerous instances mentioned in the Scriptures, which 
show that God punished such as w r ere guilty in these 
things, and blessed the obedient. 

Here, too, let it be your great aim to urge magis- 
trates and parents to rule wisely, and to educate the 
children, admonishing them, at the same time, that 
such duties are imposed on them, and showing them 
how grievously they sin if they neglect them. For in 
such a- case they overthrow -and lay- waste alike the 



12 LUTHER'S PREFACE. 

kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world, acting 
as if they were the worst enemies both of God and of 
man. And show them very plainly the shocking evils 
of which they are the authors, when they refuse their 
aid in training up children to be pastors, preachers, 
writers, etc., and set forth that on account of such sins 
God will inflict an awful punishment upon them. It 
is indeed, necessary to preach on these things; for 
parents and magistrates are guilty of sins in this re- 
spect, which are so great that there are no terms in 
which they can be described. And truly, Satan has a 
cruel design in fostering these evils. 

Finally ; inasmuch as the people are now relieved 
from the tyranny of the pope, they refuse to come to 
the Lord's Table, and treat it with contempt. On this 
point, also, it is very necessary that you should give 
them instructions, while, at the same time, you are to 
be guided by the following principles : That we are to 
compel no one to believe, or to receive the Lord's 
Supper ; that we are not to establish any laws on this 
point, or appoint the time and place ; but that we 
should so preach as to influence the people, without 
any law adopted by us, to urge, and, as it were, to 
compel us who are pastors, to administer the Lord's 
Supper to them. Now this object may be attained, if 
we address them in the following manner : It is to be 
feared that he who does not desire to receive the 
Lord's Supper at least three or four times during the 
year, despises the Sacrament, and is no Christian. So, 
too, he is no Christian, who neither believes nor obeys 
the Gospel ; for Christ did not say : "Omit, or despise 



LUTHER'S PREFACE. 13 

this," but, "This do ye, as oft as ye drink it," etc. 
He commands that this should be done, and by no 
means be neglected and despised. He says: "This 
do." 

Now he who does not highly value the Sacrament, 
shows thereby that he has no sin, no flesh, no devil, 
no world, no death, no danger, no hell ; that is to say, 
he does not believe that such evils exist, although he 
may be deeply immersed in them, and completely be- 
long to the devil. On the other hand, he needs no 
grace, no life, no Paradise, no heaven, no Christ, no 
God, no good thing. For if he believed that he was 
involved in such evils, and that he was in need of such 
blessings, he could not refrain from receiving the Sac- 
rament, wherein aid is afforded against such evils, 
and, again, such blessings are bestowed. It will not 
be necessary to compel him by the force of any law to 
approach the Lord's Table ; he will hasten to it of his 
own accord, will compel himself to come, and indeed 
urge you to administer the Sacrament to him. 

Hence, you are by no means to adopt any compul- 
sory law in this case, as the pope has done. Let it 
simply be your aim to set forth distinctly the advan- 
tages and losses, the wants and the benefits, the dan- 
gers and the blessings, which are to be considered in 
connection with the Sacrament ; the people will, 
doubtless, then seek it without urgent demands on 
your part. If they still refuse to come forward, let 
them choose their own ways, and tell them that those 
who do not regard their own spiritual misery, and do 
not desire the gracious help of God, belong to Satan. 



14 IvUTHKR'S preface. 

But if you do not give such solemn admonitions, or if 
you adopt odious compulsory laws on the subject, it is 
your own fault if the people treat the Sacrament with 
contempt. Will they not necessarily be slothful, if 
you are silent and sleep ? Therefore consider the sub- 
ject seriously, 3 7 e Pastors and Preachers! Our office 
has now assumed a very different character from that 
which it bore under the pope; it is now of a very 
grave nature, and is very salutary in its influence. It 
consequently subjects us to far greater burdens and 
labors, dangers and temptations, while it brings with it 
an inconsiderable reward, and very little gratitude in 
the world. But Christ Himself will be our reward, if 
we labor with fidelity. May He grant such mercy 
unto us who is the Father of all grace, to whom be 
given thanks and praises through Christ our L,ord, for 
ever! Amen. 
Wittenberg, A. D. 1529. 



I. 

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 

In the plain form in which the head of the fajnily should teach 
them to his household. 

I AM THE LORD THY GOD. 
The First Commandment. 

Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, 
or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or 
that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water 
under the earth ; thou shalt not bow down thyself to 
them, nor serve them : for I the Lord thy God am a 
jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon 
the children unto the third and fourth generation of 
them that hate me ; and showing mercy unto thou- 
sands of them that love me, and keep my command- 
ments. 

Q. What is meant by this f 

Ans. We should fear, love and trust in God above 
all things. 

The Second Commandment. 

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God 
in vain ; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that 
taketh His name in vain. 1 

Q. What is meant by this f 

A. We should fear and love God, and not curse,' 2 

1 That is, to use it otherwise, than God meant it to be used. 

2 To wish some evil to be done by the Lord. 

(15) 



16 luthkr's small catechism. 

swear, 3 use witchcraft,* lie 5 or deceive 6 by His name, 
but call upon His name in every time of need, and 
worship Him with prayer, 7 praise 8 and thanksgiving. 9 

The Third Commandment. 

Remember the sabbath day 10 to keep it holy. 11 
Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work, but 
the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God : 
in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor 
thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, 
nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates : 
for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the 
sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh 
day ; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and 
hallowed it. 

Q. What is meant by this ? 

A. We should fear and love God, and not despise 
preaching and His Word, but keep it holy 13 and gladly 
hear and learn it. 

The Fourth Commandment. 
Honor 13 thy father and thy mother, that it may be 
well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 

Q. What is meant by this ? 

A. We should fear and love God, and not despise 

3 To call God as a witness. 

4 To employ God's Name (Word or creature) by aid of the 
devil, to find out what God has hidden, or to get what He has 
withheld 

5 To falsify God's Word and truth. 

8 If the lie is believed by another to his injury. 
7 To ask of God. 

8 To tell God's wonderful qualities and works. 

9 To acknowledge and confess God's good gifts. 

10 Bay of rest. In Hebrew, Sabbath ; in German, Feiertag. 

11 To separate it from common, everyday use, and give it to 
the service of God. 

2 Keep it as God's word, i. e., as unlike every other word, and 
exalted above every word. 

13 To respect the dignity which God has given to each, and to 
esteem him accordingly. 



THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. 1 7 

our parents and masters, nor provoke them to anger, 
but honor, 1 * serve, 15 obey, 16 love and esteem them. 

The Fifth Commandment. 
Thou shalt not kill. 

Q. W 'hat is meant by this ? 

A. We should fear and love God, and not hurt nor 
harm our neighbor 17 in his body, but help 18 and be- 
friend 19 him in every bodily need. 

The Sixth Commandment. 

Thou shalt not commit adultery. 20 

Q. What is meant by this ? 

A. We should fear and love God, and live chaste 21 
and pure 22 in words and deeds, each one loving and 
honoring his spouse. 

The Seventh Commandment. 

Thou shalt not steal. 

Q What is meant by this ? 

A. We should fear and love God and not take 23 our 
neighbor's money or property, nor get it by false 
wares or dealing, but help him to improve and pro- 
tect his property and living. 

The Eighth Commandment. 
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neigh- 
bor. 

14 Show in all our behaviour, that we honour them in our 
hearts. 

15 In every way even without bidding, to do as pleases them. 

16 To heed their bidding and do it. 

17 Our fellowman, whom it is in our power to help. 

18 Relieve him from need. 

19 Further him. 

fl0 To break the love and fidelity promised to wife or husband. 
21 To try to keep one's own body and soul free from evil lust. 
32 By neither word nor deed giving another an occasion of evil 
lust, but rather moving all to a pure and holy life by our example. 
23 That is, wrongfully. 



1 8 LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM. 

Q. What is meant by this f 

A. We should fear and love God, and not falsely 24 
belie, 25 betray, 26 slander 27 nor defame 28 our neighbor, 
but excuse 29 him, speak well 30 of him, and make the 
best 31 of all he does. 

The Ninth Commandment. 
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house. 

Q. What is meant by this f 

A. We should fear and love God, and not craftily 
seek to gain our neighbor's inheritance or home, nor 
get it by a show of right, but help and serve him in 
keeping it. 

The Tenth Commandment. 

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his 
man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his cattle, nor 
anything that is his. 

Q. What is meant by this ? 

A. We should fear and love God, and not estrange, 
force 32 or entice 1 ' 3 away from our neighbor his wife, 
servants or cattle, but urge them to stay and do their 
duty. 

Q. What does God say of all these commandments f 
A. He says: I the Lord thy God am a jealous 3 * 
God, visiting 35 the iniquity of the fathers upon the 

24 Out of a false heart. 

25 To lie against our neighbor. 

i6 To tell our neighbour's secret to his harm. 

27 To lie against him behind his back. 

28 To raise bad reports. 

39 Defend him against unjust blame. 

30 If others speak of him only evil, forgetting the good that 
may be said. 

31 Put the best explanation on what he does or does not. 

32 Leave him no peace, until he gives. 

33 To take away their heart and confidence from husband or 
master. 

34 Who strictly requires the love we owe Him. 
3 ' In order to punish. 



THE CREED. 19 

children unto the third and fourth generation of them 
that hate nie ; and showing mercy unto thousands of 
them that love me and keep my commandments. 

Q. What is meant by this ? 

God threatens to punish all who transgress these 
commandments ; therefore we should fear His wrath, 
and do nothing against such commandments. But He 
promises grace and every blessing to all who keep 
these commandments ; therefore we should love and 
trust in Him, and gladly do according to His com- 
mandments. 



II. 

THE CREED. 1 

In the plain form in which the head of the family should teach 
it to his household. 

The First Article. 2 
Of Creation. 
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of 
heaven and earth. 

Q. What is meant by this f 

A. I believe that God has made 3 me, together w 7 ith 
all creatures ; 4 that He has given and still preserves to 
me my body and soul, eyes, ears, and all my members, 
my reason and all my senses ; also clothing and shoes, 
meat and drink, house and home, wife and child, land, 
cattle and all my goods ; that He richfy and daily pro- 
vides me with all that I need for this body and life, 
protects 5 me against all danger, and keeps me and 
guards me from all evil ; and all this purely out of 
fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any 

1 Statement and confession of what we believe and ought to 
believe. 

2 Member. Part. 3 Out of nothing. 

4 All things made. 6 Covers me, so that I am safe. 



20 LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM. 

merit or worthiness in me ; for all which I am in duty- 
bound to thank and praise, to serve and obey Him. 
This is most certainly true. 

The Second Article. 
Of Redemption. 
And in Jesus 6 Christ 7 His only Son, our Lord, who 
was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin 
Mary ; suffered under Pontius Pilate, 8 was crucified, 
dead and buried ; He descended into hell ; the third 
day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into 
heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the 
Father Almighty ; from thence He shall come to judge 9 
the quick and the dead. 

Q. What is meant by this ? 

A. I believe that Jesus Christ, true God, begotten 
of the Father from eternity, and also true man, born 
of the Virgin Mary, is my Lord ; who has redeemed 10 
me, a lost and condemned creature, purchased 11 and 
won 12 me from all sins, from death, and from the 
power of the devil, not with gold or silver, but with 
His holy, precious blood, and with His innocent suffer- 
ings and death : in order that I might be His own, live 
under Him in His kingdom, and serve Him in ever- 
lasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness, even 
as He is risen from the dead, lives and reigns 13 to all 
eternity. This is most certainly true. 

The Third Article. 

Of Sanciificatiofi. 

I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian 

6 Saviour. 

7 Messiah, the Anointed One. 

8 The Governor of Judea, appointed by the Roman Emperor. 

9 To distinguish and separate the bad from the good. 

10 Ransomed. 

II Earned me bv His labour. Bought me with a price. 

12 In battle. 

13 Asa king. 



THE LORD'S PRAYER. 21 

Church, 14 the Communion of Saints; the Forgiveness 
of sins ; the Resurrection of the body ; and the Life 
everlasting. Amen. 15 

Q. What is meant by this ? 

A. I believe that I cannot by my own reason or 
strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to 
Him ; but the Holy Ghost has called 16 me by the Gos- 
pel, 17 enlightened 18 me with His gifts, and sanctified 
and preserved me in the true faith ; even as He calls, 
gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian 
Church on earth, and preserves it in union with Jesus 
Christ in the one true faith ; in which Christian Church 
He daily and richly forgives me and all believers all 
our sins, and at the last day 19 will raise up me and all 
the dead, and will grant me and all believers in Christ 
everlasting life. This is most certainly true. 



III. 

THE LORD'S PRAYER. 

n form 
it to his household. 

Our Father who art in heaven. 

Q. What is meant by this ? 

A. God would hereby tenderly invite us to believe 
that He is truly our Father, and we are truly His chil- 
dren, so that we may ask of Him with all cheerfulness 
and confidence, as dear children of their dear father. 

14 A spiritual Temple of the Lord, built of living stones, in 
which He dwelleth. 

1 5 This is most certainly true. 

16 To summon from one place to another. 

17 The good tidings of the forgiveness of sins for the sake ot 
the sufferings and death Christ bore in our stead. 

18 To give light or knowledge. 

19 The last day of the world. 



22 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

The First Petition. 
Hallowed be Thy name. 

Q. What is meant by this ? 

A. The name of God is indeed holy in itself; but 
we pray in this petition that it may be hallowed also 
among us. 

Q. How is this done ? 

A. When the Word of God is taught in its truth and 
purity, and we as the children of God, lead holy lives, 
in accordance with it ; this grant us, dear Father in 
heaven ! But he that teaches and lives otherwise than 
the Word of God teaches, profanes the name of God 
among us : from this preserve us, Heavenly Father ! 

The Second Petition. 

Thy kingdom come. 

Q. What is meant by this f 

A. The kingdom of God comes indeed of itself, 
without our prayer ; but we pray in this petition that 
it may come also to us. 

Q. How is this done ? 

A. When our heavenly Father gives us His Holy 
Spirit, so that by His grace we believe His holy Word, 
and live godly here in time, and in heaven forever. 

The Third Petition. 
Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. 
Q. What is meant by this f 

A. The good and gracious will of God is done in- 
deed without our prayer ; but we pray in this petition 
that it may be done also among us. 

Q. How is this done ? 

A. When God breaks and hinders every evil counsel 
and purpose, which would not let us hallow God's 
name nor let His kingdom come, such as the will ot 



THE LORD'S PRAYER. 23 

the devil, the world, and our own flesh ; but strength- 
ens and keeps us steadfast in His Word and in faith 
unto our end. This is His gracious and good will. 

The Fourth Petition. 

Give us this day our daily bread. 

Q. What is meant by this ? 

A. God gives daily bread indeed without our prayer 
even to all the wicked ; but we pray in this petitiou 
that He would lead us to acknowledge and receive our 
daily bread with thanksgiving. 

Q. What is meant by "daily bread"? 

A. All that belongs to the wants and support of the 
body, such as meat, drink, clothing, shoes, house, 
home, laud, cattle, money, goods, a pious spouse, pious 
children, pious servants, pious and faithful rulers, 
good government, good weather, peace, health, order, 
honor, good friends, trusty neighbors and the like. 

The Fifth Petition. 

And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those 
who trespass against us. 

Q. What is meant by this ? 

A. We pray in this petition that our Father in 
heaven would not look upon our sins, nor, on account 
of them, deny our prayer ; for we are not worthy of 
anything we ask, neither have we deserved it ; but 
that He would grant us all through grace ; for we sin 
much every day, and deserve nothing but punish- 
ment. And we on our part will heartily forgive and 
readily do good to those who sin against us. 

The Sixth Petition. 

And lead us not into temptation. 



24 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

Q. What is meant by this f 

A. God indeeds tempts 1 no one, but we pray in this 
petition that God would guard and keep us, that the 
devil, the world and our flesh 2 may not deceive us, 
nor lead us into misbelief, 3 despair 4 and other shame- 
ful sin and vice ; and, though we be thus tempted, 5 
that we may still in the end overcome, and have the 
victory. 

The Seventh Petition. 

But deliver us from evil. 

Q, What is meant by this ? 

A. We pray in this petition, as the sum of all, that 
our Father in heaven would deliver us from all man- 
ner of evil — in body and soul, property and honor — 
and at last, when the hour of death shall come, grant 
us a blessed end, and graciously take us from this vale 
of sorrow to himself in heaven. 

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the 
glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

Q. What is meant by this ? 

A. That I am to be sure that these petitions are ac- 
ceptable to our Father in heaven, and are heard ; for 
He Himself has commanded us so to pray, and has 
promised to hear us. Amen, Amen, that is, Yea, 
Yea ; it shall be so. 

1 Puts no one to the test, in order to bring him to sin. 

3 Our inborn sinful nature. 

3 A false belief. 

* Ceasing to doubt, but yielding to unbelief. 

6 Brought into such inward battle. 



BAPTISM. 25 

IV. 

THE SACRAMENT 1 OF HOLY BAPTISM. 

In the plain form in which the head of the family should teach 
it to his household. 

I. 

Q. What is Baptism f 

A. Baptism is not simply water, but it is the water 
comprehended in God's command, and connected 
with God's word. 

Q. What is that word of God ? 

A. That which Christ our Lord says in the last 
chapter of Matthew: "Go ye and teach all nations, 
baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the 
Son, and of the Holy Ghost" 

II. 

Q. What benefits does Baptism confer, f 

A. It works forgiveness of sins, delivers from death 
and the devil, and gives everlasting salvation to all 
who believe what the words and promises of God de- 
clare. 

Q. Which are those words and promises of God ? 

A. Those which Christ our Lord says in the last 
chapter of Mark : "He that believeth and is baptized 
shall be saved ; but he that believeth not, shall be 
damned." 

III. 

Q. How can water do such great things ? 

A. It is not water indeed that does it, but the word 
of God, which is in and with the water, and faith 
which trusts this w^ord of God in the water. For 
without the word of God, the water is simply water, 
and no baptism ; but with the word of God, it is a bap- 
tism, that is, a gracious water of life and a washing 

1 A holy mystery. 



26 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

of regeneration in the Holy Ghost ; as St. 2 Paul says, 
Titus iii. 5-8: ''According to His mercy He saved us, 
by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the 
Holy Ghost ; which He shed on us abundantly through 
Jesus Christ our Saviour ; that being justified by His 
grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope 
of eternal life. This is a faithful saying." 

IV. 

Q. What does such baptizing with water signify ? 

A. It signifies that the old Adam 3 in us should, by 
daily sorrow and repentance, be drowned and die, 
with all sins and evil lusts ; and, again, a new man 
daily come forth and arise, who shall live before God 
in righteousness and purity for ever. 
Q. Where is this written ? 

A. St. Paul says, Rom. vi. 4 : "We are buried with 
Christ by baptism into death; that like as He was 
raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, 
even so we also should walk in newness of life." 



OF THE OFFICE OF THE KEYS AND 
CONFESSION. 

A. 

{From the Kinderpredigten of the Brandenburg-NUrnberg Order 

ofi533-) 

Q. What word of God belongs to the Office of the Keys ? 

A. Jesus breathed on His disciples, and said unto them, Re- 
ceive ye the Holy Ghost : whosesoever sins ye remit, they are re- 
mitted unto them ; and whosoesevei sins ye retain, they are re- 
tained. John xx. 22, 23. 

Q. What is meant by this f 

I believe that what the called ministers of Christ do to us by 
His divine commandment, especially when they shut open and 
impenitent sinners out of the Fellowship of the Christian 
Church, and absolve those who repent of their sin and intend to 
amend, is as valid and certain even in Heaven, as if our L,ord 
Jesus Christ did it Himself. 

* I.e., the holy Paul. 

3 The sinful nature born in us. 



CONFESSION. 27 



HOW PEOPLE SHOULD BE TAUGHT TO 

CONFESS. 

Q. What is Confession ? 

A. Confession embraces two parts: one, that we 
confess our sins ; the other, that we receive absolu- 
tion or forgiveness from the pastor as from God Him- 
self and in no wise doubt, but firmly believe that 
through it our sins are forgiven before God in heaven. 

Q. What sins should we confess ? 

A. Before God we should acknowledge ourselves 
guilty of all sins, even of those which we do not dis- 
cern ; as we do in the Lord's Prayer. But before the 
pastor we should confess those sins only which we 
know and feel in our hearts. 
Q. Which are these ? 

A. Here consider your station in the light of the Ten 
Commandments: whether you be a father, mother, 
son, daughter, master, mistress, servant; whether 
you have been disobedient, unfaithful, slothful ; 
whether you have wronged any one by word or deed ; 
whether you have stolen, neglected, wasted aught, 
done any harm. 

Q. Please show me a short way to confess f 

A. You should say, Reverend and dear sir, I beseech you to 
hear my confession, and to announce to me forgiveness for God's 
sake. 

Say, 

I, a poor sinner, confess before God that I am guilty of all sins ; 
especially before thee I confess that I am a man-servant, a maid- 
servant, etc.; but I have been unfaithful to my master ; in this 
case or in that I have not done what he bade me ; I have pro- 
voked him and caused him to curse ; I have neglected many 
things and let them go to waste ; in words and deeds I have been 
immodest ; I have been angry with my fellows ; I have grumbled 
and sworn at my wife, etc. For all this I am sorry and ask for- 
giveness. I mean to do better. 

A Master or Mistress should say thus : 

In particular I confess before thee that I have not been faith- 



28 luther's small catechism. 

ful in training my children, domestics, family, to God's glory. 
I have cursed. I have set a bad example by unchaste words and 
deeds. I have injured my neighbour. I have slandered, have 
overcharged, or given false goods, or false measure. And what- 
ever more he may have done in violation of God's commandment. 

If any one do not feel oppressed by such or greater sins, let 
him not be anxious, or hunt up andjjivent sins, and thereby 
make his confession a torture, but let him name the one or two 
sins he knows. Thus : In particular, I confess that once I cursed. 
Once I used immodest words. I have neglected this or that, etc. 
This is enough. 

But if you know of none at all (which is hardly possible), men- 
tion none in particular, but receive the forgiveness after the 
General Confession which you make before God to the minister. 

Then the Confessor should say : 
God be merciful unto thee and strengthen thy faith. Amen. 

And 
Dost thou believe that my forgiveness is the forgiveness of God? 
A. Yes, dear sir. 

Then let him say. 
As thou believest, so be it done unto thee. And in the Name 
of our Lord Jesus Christ I forgive thee tlvy sins, in the Name of 
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. De- 
part in peace. 

A pastor will know how to console with passages of Scripture 
those who have great burdens on their conscience, or are dis- 
tressed and tempted, and can encourage them to believe. The 
form just given is intended only as a pattern for the simple. 



V. 

THE SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. 1 

In the plain form in which the head of the family should teach 
it to his household. 

Q. What is the Sacrament of the altar ? 

A. It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ 
Himself for us Christians to eat and to drink. 

* A table of wood or stone, on which the Holy Supper is made 
read}', and at which we bring to God an offering of prayer. 



SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. 29 

Q. Where is this written ? 

A. The holy Evangelists, 2 Matthew, Mark and 
Luke, together with St. Paul, write thus : 

" Our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which He 
was betrayed, took bread : and when He had given 
thanks, He brake it, and gave it to His disciples, and 
said, Take eat; this is my body, which is given for 
you : this do in rememberance of me. 

''After the same manner also He took the cup, when 
He had supped, gave thanks, and gave it to them, say- 
ing, Take and drink ye all of it : this cup is the new 
testament in my blood, which is shed for you, for the 
remission of sins : this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in 
remembrance of me." 

Q. Of what use is such eating and drinking f 

A. It is shown us by these words: "Given and 
shed for you, for the remission of sins" ; namely, that 
in the Sacrament forgiveness of sins, life and salvation 
are given us through these words. For where there is 
forgiveness of sins, there is also life and salvation. 

Q. How can bcdily eating and drinking do such great things ? 

A. It is not the eating and drinking, indeed, that 
does it, but the words which stand here : "Given and 
shed for you, for the remission of sins." These words 
which accompany the bodily eating and drinking, are 
the chief thing in the Sacrament ; and he that believes 
these words, has what they declare and mean, namely, 
the forgiveness of sins. 

Q. Who then receives this Sacrament worthily ? 

A. Fasting and bodily preparation are indeed a 
good 3 outward discipline ; but he is truly worthy and 
well-prepared, who has faith in these words: "Given 
and shed for you, for the remission of sins." But he 

2 The four holy men who have written the life of Christ for us, 
Matthew, Mark," Luke and John. 

3 Proper and becoming. 



30 LUTHER'S SMAU« CATECHISM. 

who believes not these words, or doubts, 4 is unworthy 
and unprepared ; for the words, FOR you, require 
truly believing hearts. 

How the head of the family should teach his household to 
pray, morning and evening. 

Morning Prayer. 

In the morning, when thou risest, thou shalt sign thyself with 
the holy cross, and say : 

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

Then, kneeling or standing, repeat the Creed, and the Lord's 
Prayer. 

Then mayest thou also say this prayer : 

I GIVE thanks unto Thee, Heavenly Father, through 
Jesus Christ, Thy dear Son, that Thou hast protected 
me through the night from all danger and harm ; and 
I beseech Thee to preserve and keep me, this day 
also, from all sin and evil : that in all my thoughts, 
words, and deeds, I may serve and please Thee. Into 
Thy hands I commend my body and soul, and all that 
is mine. Let Thy holy angel have charge concerning 
me, that the wicked one have no power over me. 
Amen. 

Then after a hymn, or the Ten Commandments, or whatever 
thy devotion may suggest, go joyfully to thy work. 

Evening Prayer. 

In the evening, when thou goest to bed, thou shalt sign thy- 
self with the holy cross, and say : 

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
the Holy Ghost. Amen. 

Then, kneeling or standing, thou shalt say the Creed and the 
Lord's Prayer. 

Then mayest thou say this Prayer : 

I GIVE thanks unto Thee, Heavenly Father, through 
Jesus Christ Thy dear Son, that Thou hast this day so 
graciously protected me, and I beseech Thee to for- 

4 Wavering between belief and unbelief. 



GRACE BEFORE MEAT. 3 1 

give me all my sins, and the wrong which I have 
done, and by thy great mercy defend me from all the 
perils and dangers of this night. Into Thy hands I 
commend my body and soul, and all that is mine. 
Let Thy holy angel have charge concerning me, that 
the wicked one have no power over me. Atnen. 
Then lie down in peace and sleep. 

How the head of a family should teach his household to ask a 
blessing and return thanks. 

Grace before Meat. 

The children and servants shall go to the table reverently, fold 
their hands and say : 

The eyes of all wait upon Thee, O Lord ; and Thou 
givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest 
Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire 1 of every living 
thing. 

Then shall be said the Lord's Prayer, and after that this Prayer: 
O Lord God, Heavenly Father, bless us and these 
Thy gifts, which we receive from Thy loving-kind- 
ness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Thanks after Meat. 
After meat, they shall reverently and with folded hands say : 

GIVE thanks unto the Lord, for He is good : for 
His mercy endureth forever. He giveth food to all 
flesh : He giveth to the beast his food and to the 
young ravens which cry. He delighteth not in the 
strength of the horse, He taketh not pleasure in the 
legs cf a man. The Lord taketh pleasure in them 
that fear Him, in those that hope in His mercy. 

Then shall be said the Lord's Prayer and the following : 
We thank Thee, Lord God, Heavenly Father, 
through Jesus Christ our Lord, for all Thy benefits ; 
who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen. 

1 All get enough to eat. Care and avarice alike prevent satis- 
faction. 



32 LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM. 

TABLE x OF DUTIES ; OR, CERTAIN PASSAGES OF SCRIP- 
TURE FOR VARIOUS HOLY ORDERS AND ESTATES, 
WHEREBY THESE ARE SEVERALLY TO 
BE ADMONISHED OF THEIR 
OFFICE AND DUTY. 

To Bishops, 2 Pastors, and Preachers. 

A bishop must be blameless, the husband of one 
wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hos- 
pitality, apt to teach ; not given to wine, no striker, 
not greedy of filthy lucre ; but patient, not a brawler, 
not covetous ; one that ruleth well his own house, hav- 
ing his children in subjection with all gravity ; not a 
novice. 3 Holding fast the faithful Word as he hath 
been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine 
both to exhort and convince the gain say ers. i Tim. 
iii. 2, 3, 4, 6 ; Tit. i. 9. 

"What the Hearers Owe to Their Pastors. 

Eat and drink such things as they give; for the 
laborer is worthy of his hire. Luke x. 7. 

Kven so hath the Lord ordained that they which 
preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. 1 Cor. 
ix. 14. 

Let him that is taught in the Word communicate 
unto him that teacheth in all good things. Be not 
deceived ; God is not mocked ; for whatsoever a man 
soweth, that shall he also reap. Gal. vi. 6, 7. 

Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of 
double honor, especially they who labor in the Word 
and doctrine. For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt 
not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn ; and the 
laborer is worthy of his reward. 1 Tim. v. 17, 18. 

1 To be hung up to be observed by every one in the house. 

9 In the New Testament an overseer of the congregation, i. e., 
a Pastor. Afterwards, also overseer of several pastors and con- 
gregations. 

3 One who has just begun to believe. 



TABLE OF DUTIES. 33 

And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which 
labor among you, and are over you, in the Lord, and 
to esteem them very highly in love for their work's 
sake. And be at peace among yourselves, i Thess. 
v. 12, 13. 

Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit 
yourselves ; for they watch for your souls, as they that 
must give account ; that they may do it with joy, and 
not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you. Heb. 
xiii. 17. 

Of Civil Government. 

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. 
For there is no power but of God : the powers that be 
are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth 
the power, resisteth the ordinance of God ; and they 
that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the 
evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power ? do 
that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the 
same : for he is the minister of God to thee for good. 
But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid ; for he 
beareth not the sword in vain : for he is the minister 
of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that 
doeth evil. Rom. xiii. 1-4. 

Of Subjects. 

Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's ; 
and unto God the things that are God's. Matt. xxii. 
21. 

Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for 
wrath, but also for conscience sake. For, for this 
cause pay ye tribute also ; for they are God's min- 
isters, attending continually upon this very thing. 
Render therefore to all their dues : tribute, to whom 
tribute is due ; custom, to whom custom ; fear, to 
whom fear ; honor, to whom honor. Rom. xiii. 5-7. 

I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, 
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made 



34 LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM. 

for all men ; for kings, and for all that are in author- 
ity ; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all 
godliness and honesty. For this is good and accept- 
able in the sight of God our Saviour, i Tim. ii. 1-3. 

Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and 
powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good 
work. Tit. iii. 1. 

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for 
the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as su- 
preme ; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent 
by him for the punishment of evil-doers, and for the 
praise for them that do well. 1 Pet. ii. 13, 14. 

To Husbands. 
Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according 
to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the 
weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace 
of life ; that your prayers be not hindered. And be not 
bitter against them. 1 Pet. iii. 7 ; Col. iii. 19. 

To Wives. 

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, 
as unto the Lord. Eph. v. 22. 

Even as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord ; 
whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well, and are 
not afraid with any amazement. 1 Pet. iii. 5, 6. 

To Parents. 
And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to 
wrath : but bring them up in the nurture and admoni- 
tion of the Lord. Eph. vi. 4. 

To Children. 
Children, obey your parents in the Lord : for this is 
right. Honor thy father and mother ; which is the 
first commandment with promise : that it maybe well 
with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 
Eph. vi. 1-3. 



TABLE OF DUTIES. 35 

To Servants, Hired Men, and Laborers. 
Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters 
according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sin- 
gleness of your heart, as unto Christ ; not with eye- 
service, as men-pleasers ; but as the servants of Christ, 
doing the will of God from the heart ; with good will 
doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men : know- 
ing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the 
same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond 
or free. Bph. vi. 5-8. 

To Masters and Mistresses. 
And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, for- 
bearing threatening ; knowing that your master also is 
in heaven ; neither is there respect of persons wdth Him. 
Bph. vi. 9. 

To the Young in General. 
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the 
elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and 
be clothed with humility : for God resisteth the proud, 
and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, 
therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that He may 
exalt you in due time. 1 Pet. v. 5, 6. 

To Widows. 
Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trust- 
eth in God, and continueth in supplication and prayers 
night and day. But sh'e that liveth in pleasure, is 
dead while she liveth. 1 Tim. v. 5, 6. 

To all in Common. 
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. Herein 
are comprehended all the commandments. Rom. xiii, 
9. And persevere in prayer for all men. 1 Tim. ii. 1. 

Let each his lesson learn with care, 
And all the household well shall fare. 



Lord, open Thou my heart to hear, 
And by Thy Word to me draw near, 
Let me Thy Word still pure retain, 
Let me Thy child and heir remain. 

Thy Word doth move the inmost heart, 
Thy Word doth perfect health impart, 
Thy Word my soul with joy doth bless, 
Thy Word brings peace and happiness. 

Glory to God, the Father, Son, 
And Holy Spirit, Three in One ! 
To Thee, O blessed Trinity, 
Be praise throughout Eternity! 

John Olearius, 1671. 



INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS.* 



i. What little book have you in your hand ? 

The Small Catechism of Dr. Martin I^uther. 

2. What is the meaning of Catechism ? 

Instruction. 

3. What instruction does this book give ? 

It tells that which I must know that I may- 
be saved. 

4. Who prepared this book ? 

Dr. Martin Luther. 

5. Who was he ? 

He was a famous Doctor of the Church of 
God, a teacher of Theology at Wittenberg, in 
Saxony. 

6. When did he live ? 

More than 300 years ago. He was born No- 
vember 10, 1483, at Eisleben, and died there 
February 18, 1546. 

* It will be well for the teacher, at the beginning of every 
lesson, to go over it with the child, then to let him read over 
the Questions and Answers with him, and finally to question 
him freely, letting him look on the book meanwhile,— and so to 
proceed until the child knows what he ought to know. 

(37) 



38 LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM. 

7. You call this Luther's Small Catechism : did he prepare 
more than one ? 

Yes ; in the same year he prepared a Large 
Catechism, too. 

8. In what year was that ? 

1529- 

9. Did Dr. Luther tell his own wisdom in his two Cate- 
chisms ? 

No. He put together in brief and told the 
wisdom of God, as it is revealed to us in the 
Holy Scriptures. 

10. What then is Luther's Small Catechism ? 

It is a summary of God's wisdom, or of the 
Word of God. 

11. Is it so regarded ? 

Yes. It has been given a place among the 
Confessions of Faith of the Lutheran Church, 
and for more than three hundred years has 
been a favorite book of the Church. 

12. What name did Dr. Luther give to his Small Catechism ? 

Enchiridion or Handbook. 

13. Why did he so name it ? 

Because the young were always to have it in, 
and at, hand, and to learn it. 

14. What does it contain ? 

a. A remarkable Preface, addressed to all 
faithful and pious Pastors, which tells how the 
Catechism is to be taught and learned. 

b. The six Parts of the Catechism. 



INTRODUCTORY. 39 

c. How a Father may teach his household to 
pray, morning and evening. 

d. The Table of Duties for all estates of men. 

15. What is the most important part of the Catechism ? 

The Six Parts. 

16. And what are they ? 

The first treats of the Holy Ten Command- 
menfs. 

The second, of the Holy Christian Faith. 

The third y of the Holy Lord' s Prayer. 

The fourth, of the Sacramento/ Holy Baptism. 

The fifth, of the Sacra?nent of the Altar. 

The sixth* of the Office of the Keys and Con- 
fession. 

* This is called the Sixth Part, though put in the fifth place, 
because it was added after all the rest. 



INTRODUCTORY QUESTIONS TO 
THE FIRST PART. 



II. 

17. What is the subject of the First Part ? 

The Holy Ten Commandments. 

18. "What one word means the same thing? 

The Law. 

19. What is the Law ? 

< That which God has ordained to be the rule 
of all that we do, or leave undone, — God's will 
in reference to us. 

20. How can a man learn what the Law is ? 

From his conscience, and from the revelation 
of God. 

ax. "What knowledge of the Law does a man derive from his 
conscience ? 

It is not clear, and it is imperfect. Yet it is 
there. Even the heathen ' ' shew the work of 
the law written in their hearts, their conscience 
also bearing witness, and their thoughts the 
meanwhile accusing, or else excusing one 
another.' ' Rom. ii. 15. 
(40) 



QUESTIONS TO FIRST PART. 4 1 

22. And what knowledge of the Law do we get from Revela- 
tion ? 

It is pure and clear. There is shown ' ' what 
is good, and what the Lord doth require of 
thee." Micah vi. 8. 

23. Where do we find the revelation of the will of God ? 

In the Ten Commandments, of which we 
have been speaking. 

24. "Who gave the Ten Commandments ? 

The Lord God Himself. Ex. xx. ; xxxi. 18 ; 
xxxii.; xxxiv. 1, 28, 29. Deut. v. ioff. 

25. To whom did He give them ? 

To His people Israel. 

26. Are they not in force for the Church of the New Testa- 
ment also ? 

Certainly. Christ, the Mediator of the New 
Testament, says, "Think not that I am come 
to destroy the Law or the Prophets : I am not 
come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I 
say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one 
jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the 
Law till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore 
shall break one of these least commandments, 
and shall teach men so, he shall be called the 
least in the kingdom of heaven ; but whosoever 
shall do and teach them, the same shall be 
called great in the kingdom of heaven. ' ' Matt, 
v. 17-19. 

27. Where did God give these Commandments? 

In the wilderness, at Mt. Sinai. 



42 luther's small catechism. 

28. Where are the Wilderness and Mt. Sinai? 

In Arabia, a peninsula of Asia. 

29. When did God give this Law ? 

On the fiftieth day after the exodus of the 
children of Israel from Egypt. 

30. What name is given to the day of the Exodus ? 

The Passover. (Easter.) 

31. And to the fiftieth day after ? 

Pentecost, which is the Greek word for fifty 
(Whitsunday). 

32. Did God Himself say these Commandments from the 
mountain ? 

1 ■ These words the Lord spake unto all your 
assetnbty in the mount out of the midst of the 
fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, 
w r ith a great voice. " Deut. v. 22. And all the 
people heard them.' Ex. xx. i8ff. 

33. What did the people do. when they heard and saw this ? 

They fled and were sore afraid. 

34. Why then did the Lord speak so terribly ? 

That we might dread His anger, and not do 
anything against His Commandments. Ex. 
xx. 5. 

35. Were not the Commandments of God written, for the 
people and their descendants ? 

Yes. The Lord Himself wrote them on tw r o 
tables of stone and gave them to Moses. Ex. 
xxxii. 16. 



QUESTIONS TO FIRST PART. 43 

36. And what do the Scriptures call these two tables ? 

" The two tables of testimony, tables of stone, 
written with the finger of God." Ex. xxxi. 18. 

37. To whom did God give these two tables of testimony ? 

To His servant, Moses the prophet, who had 
led the children of Israel out of Egypt to Mt. 
Sinai. Deut. v. 22. 

38. What did Moses do with the tables of testimony ? 

He threw them out of his hand and broke 
them at the foot of the mountain. Ex. xxxii. 19. 

39. Why did he do this ? 

Out of fierce anger, because when he came 
down to the camp he saw that forty days after 
God had given them the Law, the children of 
Israel were carrying on their idolatry again 
with a golden calf. Ex. xxxii. 

40. Did not God punish Moses for breaking the tables ? 

No, not at all. Ex. xxxiv. 1 ; Deut. iv. 13, 
x. 1, 2. 

41. But what did Moses have to do ? 

Hew out two tables for himself and come 
with them up into the mountain. Ex. xxxiv. 
1 ; Deut. x. 1. 

42. And what did the Lord do ? 

"He wrote on the tables, according to the 
first writing, the Ten Commandments, and 
gave them to Moses." Deut. x. 4. 



44 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

43. What may be the meaning of the two tables of the Law ? 

The human heart, in which the command- 
ments of God ought to be written. 

44. What may be the meaning of the first tables, which God 
Himself made ? 

The human heart, as it was created bjr God. 

45. And of the tables which Moses made ? 

The human heart, as it was made by man 
through his fall. 

46. What is to be found on both pairs of tables ? 

God's own writing, the Ten Commandments. 

47. And what is the meaning of this? 

That one and the same holy will of God had 
been revealed both before and after the fall, in 
Paradise and on Sinai. 



QUESTIONS ON 

THE MEANING OF THE WORDS 
OF THE FIRST PART. 



III. 
1fntto5uction to tbe Comman&ments. 

48. What did God say and write at the beginning of the 
First and of all the Commandments? 

Just as earthly princes set their names before 
their decrees, that it may be known from whom 
the decrees come, and who is offended if the 
decrees are not obeyed, so the Lord put His 
Name before His Commandments, that every 
man may know that he keeps or breaks the 
commandments of so great a God. 

49. What is the beginning of God's Commandments ? 

I am the Lord thy God. Kx. xx. 2 ; Dent, 
v. 6. 

50. What is the Hebrew of the word LORD ? 

Jehovah. Ex. iii. 14. 

51. What is the meaning of Jehovah ? . 
I AM THAT I AM. 

(45) 



46 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

52. What all is expressed by this word ? 

The meaning of this name is deeper than the 
sea : it cannot be found out. Yet we see clearly, 

He is Eternal ; 

He is Unchajigeable, without variableness, 
faithful to Himself in word and deed ; 

An Eternal, Unchangeable, Truthful, Faith- 
ful, Inscrutable Being. 

jfirst Commandment. 

53. 'What does the First Commandment forbid? 

To have other gods. 

54. What does that mean ? 

To worship other gods. 

55. Since you should not worship other gods, whom should 
you worship ? 

Him who says, I am the Lord thy God. 

56. Are there other gods ? 

11 Beside Him there is no God." Is. xliv. 6, 
xlv. 5 ; Deut. vi. 4. 

57. And according to the explanation of this Commandment 
what shall you do ? 

Fear, love and trust in God. 

58. And how much shall you fear, love and trust in Him? 

Above all things. 

59. What does that mean ? 

More than all things. 

60. And why should you fear, love and trust in, Him above 
all things ? 

Because nothing is so great, so dear, and so 
faithful, as the Lord mv God. 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 47 

61. And what are you doing if you fear, love and trust in 
anything more than God ? 

I am putting a creature into God's place. 

62. And what are you making of this creature ? 

My idol.— From this may the Lord my God 
preserve me. Amen. 

IV. 
SeconD GommanDment 

63. What is forbidden in the Second Commandment? 

To take the Name of the Lord our God in 
vain.* 

64. What is the Name of the LORD our God? 

The Lord, or Jehovah. t Ex. iii. 14. 

65. Has not God other names also ? 

Yes. He has many names, but He calls 
Himself Jehovah and keeps this name for Him- 
self alone. 

* From the earliest time there have been two ways of dividing 
the Ten Commandments given in Ex.xx. 1-17. While some have 
joined verses 4, 5, to the First Commandment, others have made 
a Second Commandment out of them, of our Second a Third, and 
so on, and have made our Ninth and Tenth into one. The Re- 
formed have accepted this division, while the Lutherans have 
kept the former division, for which more can be said. 

fin order not to take the Name of Jehovah in vain, and really 
to keep the Second Commandment, the Jews did not utter it at 
all, but whenever it occurs in the Old Testament they read in- 
stead of it Adonat, which means Lord. Consequently we no 
longer know whether the word ought to be pronounced Je- 
hovah, or in some other way. Therefore, after the example of the 
Jews, all our versions of the Scriptures have the Word Lord, 
where the word Jehovah is found in the Hebrew. In an En- 
glish Bible, whenever the word stands for the Hebrew Name 
Jehovah^ it is printed in small capitals, Lord. 



48 ujther's smau, catechism. 

66. May you take any of the names of God in vain ? 

I may misuse none of the names which be- 
long to God, or by means of which I think of 
Him. 

"What is it " to take in vain " ? 

67. How, according to the explanation in the Catechism, is 
the Name of God taken in vain ? 

By cursing, swearing, using witchcraft, 
lying or deceiving. 

"What is it to curse ? to swear ? to use witchcraft ? to lie ? to 
deceive ? 

68. What does the LORD say of those who take His Name 
in vain ? 

The Lord will not hold him guiltless that 
taketh His Name in vain. Ex. xx. 7. 

69. For what purpose is the Name of the Lord given to us, 
according to the explanation in the Catechism ? 

That we may call upon, worship, praise and 
thank Him. Therefore for all kinds of prayer. 

What is the meaning of calling upon Him ? Worship ? 
Praise ? Thanksgiving ? * 

70. What should keep us from taking God's Name in vain, 
and what should urge us to the right use t of it ? 

The fear and love of God, out of which flows 
the observance of all the Commandments. 

* Nothing is easier than to teach to call on God, pray, praise 
and thank Him. Of Calling on God, see Luther's Large Cate- 
chism at the end of the Second Commandment. (Muller's edi- 
tion, p. 399^ I § 70-77). m As to Prayer, let the teacher keep to his 
definitions. "What is it to pray? What have you to ask of 
God?" Here let him tell the needs of our souls and bodies. 
" How do you speak to your father, when you ask him for some- 
thing to eat ?" Answer : " Dear father, I pray you give me some 
bread." "Well. Sneak in the same way tb your heavenly 
Father, with this difference only, that in His presence, whicli 
you alwaj's are in, you should speak with adoration and perfect 
confidence." — In the same way praise and thanksgiving may be 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 49 

71. How does Dr. Luther begin the explanation of every 
Commandment, because the observance of all the Command- 
ments flows from the fear and love of God, or from the observ- 
ance of the First Commandment ? 

He begins the explanation of every com- 
mandment by repeating the explanation of the 
First : We shotddfear and love God, and &c. 

72. Is all cursing and swearing forbidden ? 

No. 

73. Is all witchcraft, lying and deceiving, forbidden? 

Yes, all. 

74. Why is not all cursing forbidden ? 

Because (Deut. xxvii. 15-26) God bade all 
the people say Amen to His curse. 

explained. "What is it to praise? Tell me what God is like, 
and what He has done?" — Here teach simply and with practical 
examples the sweet doctrine of the Attributes of God, which a 
child will need only a little encouragement to find via nega- 
iionis et eminenticE. When the attributes (Names) of God have 
been recounted, then say a Sursum Corda (not in I^atin, of 
course not in an unknown tongue), and tell :the child to name 
the attributes and works of God in the presence of God. E. g*. 
"Merciful ,'and gracious is the Lord, longsuffering, etc." Or, 
" Thou hast made me. Thou hast preserved me. Thou art the 
Creator of all things. Thou upholdest all things." The Halle- 
lujah Psalms afford an excellent example, and a child will un- 
derstand them. — And so with Thanksgiving. " What is it to 
give thanks?" Answer: " To recognize and own that a thing 
is God's gift." "Tell me some of God's good gifts." " What do 
you say when you give thanks?" "That I live, that I seethe 
light, that I hear Thy voice, etc., all is Thy good gift, given to me 
though I do not deserve it. I know this, and I own it before 
Thee and Thy angels and all the world. For this I thank 
Thee." — Many Psalms will show how praise and thanksgiving 
are woven together. The same deed of God can be regarded as 
mark of His greatness and of His kindness ; the same Attribute 
(Name of God) will show His glory and His kindness to us. 
Proof: " We thank Thee for Thy great glory ;" His Word is His 
glory and our Salvation. — The author knows by experience how 
easy and short and yet how instructive such training of the chil- 
dren in prayer is. Only, to avoid levity, such exercise should 
not be too frequent. To many children it is sweet and blessed. 



50 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

Because our Lord Jesus cursed. Matt. xi. 21, 
xxiii. 13-16, 23-29; Mark xi. 13, 21. 

75. Why is not all swearing forbidden ? 

Because God, Gen. xxii. 16; Ps. ex. 4; 
Christ, Matt. xxvi. 63, 64, v. i8ff.; Heb. vi. 
13, 14; the angels, Dan. xii. 7; Rev. x. 6; 
and holy men of God, Gen. xiv. 21, 22 ; 1 Sam. 
xx.; 2 Cor. i. 23, have sworn ; and, besides, the 
word of the Old Testament cannot be broken, 
which says, Thou shalt fear the Lord thy 
God, and serve Him, and shalt swear by His 
Name. Deut. vi. 13, x. 20. 

76. But is not all swearing forbidden in Matt. v. 34, 
37, and James v. 12 ? 

It is impossible that God should contradict 
Himself. Christ did not come to destroy the 
Law, but to fulfil it (Matt. v. 17.) The oath, 
which was commanded in the Old Testament, 
and used in both the Old Testament and the 
New by God and angels and men, cannot be 
rejected by Christ and His Apostles. 

77. What sort of swearing is forbidden in those pas- 
sages ? 

Not that w 7 hich is commanded in the Old 
Testament, but the misuse by the Jews (Matt, 
xxiii. 16), who in daily life swore w r antonly and 
by creatures, when they might have said sim- 
ply Yes and No, or in a case of necessity might 
have sworn by the Name of God. 

78. "What cursing and swearing is forbidden therefore 
In the Second Commandment ? 

Not that which uses the Name of God, but 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 5 1 

that which without reason and wickedly mis- 
uses it. 

79. Is all witchcraft, lying and deceit forbidden in the 
Second Commandment? 

All witchcraft, lying and deceit are forbidden, 
but not in the Second Commandment ; but only 
the witchcraft, lying and deceit which misuse 
the Name of God. 

V. 
ITbirD Commandment* 

80. What is bidden in the Third Commandment ? 

To remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy. 

"What is meant by the Sabbath day ? "What is it, to keep 
holy? 

81. Which- day of the week was the holy day of the Old 
Testament? 

The seventh, or Saturday. 

82. Why was the seventh day kept in the Old Testament? 

God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, 
because on it God rested from all the works 
which He had made. Gen. ii. 2, 3 ; Ex. xx. 
8-1 1. The seventh day was a memorial of 
completed creation. 

83. What is the holy day of the New Testament ? 

The first day of the week, Sunday. 

84. Why do we no longer celebrate the old Sabbath ? 

Because through St. Paul the Lord says to 
the Colossians (ii. 16) : "Let no man judge you 
concerning holy days and new moons and Sab- 
baths." Gal. iv. 10. 



52 LUTHER'S SMAI.lv CATECHISM. 

85. But does not this break the Law of the Old Cov- 
enant, of which in Matt. v. 17-19 the Lord says, that 
it cannot be broken ? 

No, for the Lord Himself, who is the Lord 
of the Sabbath (Mark ii. 27, 28), did not break 
the holy day of olden time, but fulfilled its 
meaning (Heb. iv.J, and brought in the new 
time, which no longer counts from the rest-day 
of creation. 

86. Is another day commanded in the New Testa- 
ment, instead of the seventh day ? 

No. No such commandment, either of the 
Lord, or of His Apostles, has come down to us. 

87. Why then has a special holy day been fixed ? 

One day must be set on which the people 
may know that they are to come together to 
hear God's Word and to cherish the communion 
of believers by means of the Word and the Sac- 
rament. 

88. "Was the Church free to choose any day of the 
week ? 

Yes, since we were not to be judged concern- 
ing any day. 

89. Why then was not the seventh day chosen ? 

Just because the Jews held that God made it 
necessary to observe the seventh day. Chris- 
tian freedom from the Old Testament Sabbath 
Law is asserted.* 

*See the Augsburg Confession, Art. xxviii. "For they that 
think thatthe observation of the Lord's day was .appointed by the 
authority of the Church, instead of the Sabbath, as necessary, are 
greatly deceived. The Scripture, which teacheth that all the 
Mosaical ceremonies can be omitted after the Gospel is revealed, 
has abrogated the Sabbath. And yet, because it was requisite to 
appoint a certain day, that the people might know when ^hey 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 53 

go. And why was the first day chosen ? 

Because the Lord Himself had hallowed it by 
His resurrection from the dead and the out- 
pouring of the Holy Ghost, as in the Old Tes- 
tament He hallowed the seventh day by resting 
from the Creation. The best and holiest rec- 
ollections of Christian men are connected with 
this day. 

91. And why do we still keep this day ? 

Although chosen in Christian freedom, it has 

ought to conie together, it appears that the [Christian] Church 
did for that purpose appoint the Lord's day: which for this 
cause also seemed to have been pleasing, that men might have 
an example of Christian liberty, and might know that the ob- 
servation, neither of the Sabbath, nor of any other day, was of 
necessity." 

Also Large Catechism : "We keep the festal days, not for the 
sake of intelligent and learned Christians (for they have no need 
of this observance), but first of all for bodily causes and neces- 
sities, which nature teaches and requires ; and for the common 
people, man-servants and maid-servants, who are occupied 
the whole week with their work and trade, that for a day they 
may forbear, in order to rest and be refreshed. Secondly, 
and most especially, that on such a day of rest, time and oppor- 
tunity be taken to attend divine service, and afterward to praise 
God in singing and prayer. * * .* In itself no one day is 
better than another, and this should indeed occur daily ; but 
since the mass of people cannot give such attendance, there 
must be at least one day in the week set apart. * * Since from 
of old Sunday has been appointed for this purpose, we should 
also continue the same, that everything be done in order. * * 
* The day needs no sanctification for itself. * * God desires 
it to be holy to thee. Therefore it becomes holy or unhoW on 
thy account, according as thou art occupied on the same with 
things that are holy or unholy. How then does such sanctifica- 
tion occur ? Not that with folded hands we sit behind the stove 
and do no rough work, or deck ourselves with a garland and 
put on our best clothes, but that we occupy ourselves with God^s 
Word and exercise ourselves therein. * * * * Since, then, so 
much depends upon God's Word that without it no Sabbath can 
be kept holy, we ought to know that God will insist upon a 
strict observance of this Commandment, and will punish all 
who despise His Word, and are not willing to hear and learn 
it, especially at the times appointed for the purpose." 



54 LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM. 

been from the beginning the favorite day of 
Christian people, and a mark of the New Cov- 
enant, just as the old Sabbath was a mark of 
the Old Covenant ; it is, moreover, an outward 
sign of the inner unity between Christians, of 
the communion of saints, of those who have 
fallen asleep who kept it, and of those who are 
living on the earth. 

92 But may you not for yourself make a work-day 
of Sunday ? 

By so doing I not onfy would reject the day, 
but would withdraw myself from the Word of 
God and from the Communion of Saints. 

93. Do we then cling to this day ? 

Yes ; but not for the day's sake, but for the 
sake of the Word and of the Communion, which 
from of old belong to this day, from which we 
withdraw if we do not keep this day. 

94. Have we reason, then, to accept the word of the 
Lord, Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy ? 

Yes, indeed. The day on which the greatest 
events of the New Testament took place, and 
which the Church has always chosen for its 
publication of the Word and for its Communion, 
can be despised by individual persons only to 
the injury of their own souls. 

95. What is the important matter in reference to the New 
Testament Sabbath ? 

Not the day, but that by which all days and 
all things are sanctified, the Word of God and 
prayer. 1 Tim. iv. 5. 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 55 

96. What is the explanation of the Third Commandment? 

We should fear and love God, and not despise 
preaching and His Word, but keep it holy and 
gladly hear and learn it. 

97. Are preaching and the Word of God the same thing ? 

No. A pious man's sermon reflects God's 
Word, like a mirror reflects the light of the 
sun ; but in comparison with the Word of God 
the sermon always is imperfect. The Word al- 
ways is a perfect revelation of divine saving 
wisdom and truth. 

98. How should we receive the Word of God which we hear 
on Sunday ? 

We should keep it holy. 

What does this mean ? 

gg. Is it enough to ; ' keep it holy" ? 

We must diligently and gladly hear it. 

100. Is it enough to hear it? 

We must also learn it, that faith may come 
by hearing. For faith cometh by hearing. 
Rom. x. 17. 

VI. 

3fourtb CommanDment 

101. What does the Lord command in the Fourth Command- 
ment ? 

He commands me to honor my father and 
my mother. 

What is it to honor? 

102. "Whom besides parents does the explanation include in 
the Fourth Commandment? 

Masters. 



56 LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM. 

103. Who are our *' masters " ? 

All who are placed over us, " whether it be 
the king as supreme, or governors as those 
sent by him, " (1 Peter ii. 13-15, 18) and also 
masters and housefathers. And those also 
who are at the head of churches and congrega- 
tions may also be included. 1 Tim. v. 17. 
1 Thess. v. 12, 13. Heb. xiii. 17. And also 
teachers. 

104. Why have all these a place in the Fourth Com- 
mandment? 

Because all who are set over us, are in our 
parents' place, and therefore the Scriptures call 
them fathers.* 

105. What does the explanation say you must not do if you 
would honor your parents ? 

Neither despise them nor provoke them to 
anger. 

106. And what does it say a child ought to do to its parents 
in order to honor them ? 

Honor, serve, obey, love and esteem them. 

Define these words. 

107. How has the Lord especially distinguished this Com- 
mandment ? 

It is the first commandment with promise. 
Eph. vi. 2, 3 ; for He says, Ex. xx. 12, Honor 
thy father and thy mother, that thy days may 
be long in the land which the L,ord thy God 
giveth thee. 

* " All whom we call masters are in the place of parents and 
must derive their power and authority to govern from them. 
Hence also they are all called fathers in the Scriptures."— Luther 
in the Large Catechism. Read there the whole glorious expla- 
nation of the Fourth Commandment. 



THK COMMANDMENTS. 57 

108. But do not many pious children die young? 

These do not receive a temporal promise, but 
in the world to come the}?- receive far more ex- 
ceedingly according to the fullness of promises 
which He has given for eternity. 

log. But what are you to do if your parents or masters are 
bad, do all kinds of wickedness, and unreasonably burden 
their children and others subject to them? 

Even then they are my parents or masters, 
whom I must honor, serve, obey, love and es- 
teem. 

no. But what if they require of you what is against God's 
"Word and the honor due to Him, and against their salvation 
and your brother's ? 

Yet I will honor them, serve them, love and 
esteem them, but I will not obey them when 
they command what is contrary to God's Word 
and the honor due to Him and to my salvation 
and my brother's. 

in. And why ? 

We must obey God rather than men, Acts v. 
29 ; iv. 19. And God will not have us resist 
the Holy Ghost k 'as our fathers did." Acts 
vii. 51. 

VII. 
aFtftb Commandment 

112. What does the Fifth Commandment forbid? 

S To kill. 

113. "What else according to the explanation is also for- 
bidden? 

To hurt or harm our neighbor in his body. 



58 LUTHER'S SMAI.lv CATECHISM. 

114. To whom shall we do no harm? 

Our neighbor. 

115. And what shall we not hurt? 

Our neighbor's body. 

xi6. How is such an explanation drawn from the Command- 
ment? 

The greatest injury to a man's body is 
death ; and this cannot be done if we do no 
harm or injury to our neighbor's body. 

117. Which is greater, hurt or harm? 

Harm. 

118. What is the beginning of any hurt or harm we may 
knowingly and willingly do to our neighbor? 

It begins in our souls, in hatred, envy, un- 
kindness; therefore Christ (Matt. v. 21 ff.) 
stopped the source of murder, when He forbade 
and threatened to punish anger. 

119. Who is our neighbor? 

He whom we are nearest to, with whom we 
associate, who needs us, even if he be a Jew, 
or our enemy. 

120. Are we forbidden to hurt or harm the body of our neigh- 
bor only ? 

It is forbidden to do ourselves such injury. 

lai. If we are forbidden to hurt or harm our neighbor 
in his body, is it wrong for a father to chastise his 
child? 

No, for the Lord Himself says (Prov. xxiii. 13, 
14, cf. xiii. 24), Withhold not correction from 
the child ; for if thou beatest him with the rod, 
he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the 
rod, and deliver his soul from hell. 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 59 

122. But is it not a sin if the courts order a murderer 
to be put to death, or that some other bodily pun- 
ishment be visited on a godless person ? 

No. God says (Gen. ix. 6), Whoso sheds 
man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed. 
And in the Garden of Gethsemane our Lord 
said (Matt. xxvi. 52), Whosoever taketh the 
sword shall perish by the sword ; and Paul 
writes to the Romans (xiii. 4), The pow T er is a 
minister of God to thee for good. But if thou 
do that which is evil, be afraid ; for he beareth 
not the sword in vain ; for he is the minister of 
God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him 
that doeth evil. 

123. But is it not wrong for soldiers to kill in battle? 

Not only in the Old Testament, but in the 
New, there are warriors who were well-pleasing 
to God. And when the soldiers asked John 
Baptist, What shall we do ? he said, Do violence 
to no man, neither accuse any falsely ; and be 
content with your wages (Luke iii. 14). He 
did not say they must give up their place and 
calling. 

124. And what is our duty, according to the explanation? 

To help and befriend. 

What do these words mean? 

125. In what should we help and befriend? 

In every bodily need. 

126. Give me instances of such bodily need? 

Poverty, sickness, nakedness. 



60 LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM. 

127. Is there in the New Testament a special arrange- 
ment for the exercise of this duty ? 

Yes, the office of deacons (Acts vi. 1-6), 
which continued for a long time in the Church, 
although now it is wanting in many congrega- 
tions. 

128. If we are to help and befriend our neighbour in every 
bodily need, in what case should we do still more for him if 
we can? 

In every need of his soul. 

VIII. 
Gbe 5i£tb Commanfcment, 

129. What is here forbidden ? 

To commit adultery. 

130. What is marriage? 

It is the public and lasting union of a man 
and a woman in the closest fellowship of body 
and life. 

" A man shall leave his father and mother 
and cleave unto his wife, and they twain shall 
be one flesh, " Gen. ii. 24. "So they are not 
twain, but one flesh." Matt. xix. 5, 6. 

131. Who instituted marriage ? 

God Himself in Paradise. God made woman 
out of a rib He took from a man, and brought 
her to him. Gen. ii. 22. Male and female did 
He make them. And He blessed them. Gen. 
i. 27, 28. 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 6l 

132. Why did God institute marriage? 

That man might not be alone, but might 
have a help meet for him, and that they might 
multiply upon the earth. Gen. ii. 18 ; i. 28. 

133. And what further purpose came in after the Fall ? t 

On account of fornication (i. e. for the avoid- 
ance of fornication), let every man have his 
own wife, and every woman her own husband. 
1 Cor. vii. 2. 

134. How has the Lord glorified earthly marriage? 

By making it' a figure of the highest and 
eternal marriage, the marriage between Christ 
and His Church. Ez. xvi. 8 f. ; Eph. v. 32. 

135. What do man and wife promise each other at the very 
beginning of marriage ? 

That they will love one another, as Christ 
loves His Church, and the Church loves Him. 
Eph. v. 22-33; Gen. ii. 18, 24. 

136. And how does Christ love His Church ? 

Perfectly, — so that He gave up heaven and 
earth, to seek her and cleave to her. 

Exclusively, — One, says He, is my dove. 
Cant. vi. 8. 

Unchangeably , — I will betroth myself to thee 
forever. Hos. ii. 19. 

Holily, and unto Sanctification, — "He gave 
Himself for the Church, that He might sanc- 
tify and cleanse it by the washing of water by 
the Word, that He might present it to Himself 
a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, 



62 LUTHER'S SMAIJ, CATECHISM. 

or any such thing ; but that it should be holy 
and without blemish." Eph. v. 25-27. 

137. And how does the Church love Him ? 

Perfectly, exclusive^, indissolubly, as He 
loves it, for it is in His school, and is subject to 
Him (Eph. v. 23) and fears Him (Eph. v. 33). 

138. How then ought Christian husbands and wives love 
each other ? 

Perfectly, exclusively and indissolubly, holily 
and unto sanctification ; and the wife should 
obey and fear her husband. 

139. What is the difference between the human marriage of 
man and wife and the marriage of Christ with His Church ? 

That is for a season ; when one of the parties 
dies, the marriage is at an end (1 Cor. vii. 39) : 
this is eternal. So far as Christ is concerned, it 
is perfect ; but the marriages of men and 
women are imperfect. 

140. How is a human marriage broken ? 

When one is loved not exclusively, or not 
unchangeably ; when the heart thinks of or 
seeks another or gives itself to another; or 
when the precious bond is broken by adultery ; 
or one forsakes the other. 

141. Does Christ allow no divorce, no dissolution of the mar- 
riage tie ? 

No. Only when marriage is broken, whether 
by fornication (Matt. xix. 9), or by wicked de- 
sertion, in the case mentioned by St. Paul 
(1 Cor. vii. 15), the innocent party is free. 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 63 

142. What leads to adultery in most cases ? 

An unchaste heart and disorderly company. 

Who is chaste ? Who is pure ? 

143. To what therefore does the Explanation of the Sixth 
Commandment especially exhort husbands and wives? 

To be chaste and temperate in words and 
deeds. 

144. But are only those who are married to be chaste and 
temperate? 

No, the single too. 

145. Are maiden and wifely chastity one and the same 
thing ? 

No. Chastity in those who are married, 
cleaves to husband or wife alone ; but maiden 
chastity is free from every man or woman. 

146. Which is better? 

They are of like worth (1 Cor. vii.). Those 
who forbid to marry, teach a doctrine of devils 
(1 Tim. iv. 1-3). 

147. Which is easier ? 

It depends on the person. If one have the 
gift of continence, it is easier to live un- 
married. 

148. Is it possible to live chastely in either of these 
states ? 

Yes, by the grace of God, though our sin- 
ful nature and evil imagination often resists 
His grace. 

149. What is a great help to the chastity of the married, and 
generally in the married life ? 

That one not only love, but honor, his wife 
or her husband. 



64 ujther's smau, catechism. 

150. And why is so much stress laid on honoring ? 

Because when respect dies, love ceases. Re- 
spect daily nourishes love. Marriage without 
love and honor never can prosper. 

IX. 
£be Seventh Commandment. 

151. What is forbidden in the Seventh Commandment? 

To steal. 

152. What is it. to steal ? 

To take secretly and wrongly. 

153. What does the Explanation say we are not to take or 

steal ? 

Our neighbor's money or property. 

154. How can our neighbor's money or property be taken 
from him ? 

Secretly or by open violence. 

155. "What is it called, when our neighbor's property is taken 
secretly ? 

Theft, or stealing. 

156. What, when it is taken by open violence ? 

Robbery. 

157. The Explanation mentions another way of taking our 
neighbor's money or property. What is it ? 

By false wares or dealing. 

158. What name is given to this sort of stealing? 

Cheating. 

159. How can a man steal by means of " false wares ? ,v 

When a man gives bad wares instead of 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 65 

good, or, in general, gives other things than 
those he promised. 

160. And how, by " false dealing ? " 

By false wares, false weights, false measures, 
counterfeit money, usury, extortion, " taking 
advantage by expert arts and uncommon trans- 
actions or dexterous inventions, in short by 
getting the best of the bargain and wantonly 
oppressing and distressing" our neighbor. See 
the Large Catechism, 

161. What shall he do who has broken this Commandment ? 

Eph. iv. 28: "Let him that stole, steal no 
more : but rather let him labour, working with 
his hands the thing which is good, that he may 
have to give to him that needeth." 2 Tim. ii. 
19 : "Let every one that nameth the name of 
Christ depart from iniquity." 

162. And what shall be done with what he had stolen ? 

Ex. xxii. 3. He should make full restitu- 
tion. Ez. xxxiii. 15. "If the wicked restore 
the pledge, give again that he had robbed, 
walk in the statutes of life, without committing 
iniquity ; he shall surely live, he shall not die." 
Compare also the working of God's grace on 
Zacchaeus, Luke xix. 8. 

163. But if he refuse to do this ? 

Then he neither repents nor believes. He 
hasnot God's forgiveness, and God's threat 
against thieves hangs over him. i Cor. vi. 10. 



66 ujther's smaij, catechism. 

164. What ought we do, according to the Explanation of the 
Seventh Commandment? 

Help our neighbor to improve and protect 
his property and living. 

165. Why is not our neighbor's money mentioned 
here, as in the first part of the Explanation ? 

Because it belongs to his property. 

166. Why is our neighbor's living mentioned ^spe- 
cially? 

Because his property depends on his living, 
i. e., on what he earns. This living is the 
source of his money and property. 

167. Why is it said we should help him to improve and pro- 
tect it ? 

Because we cannot improve and protect it 
ourselves ; we can only help him to do so ; our 
neighbor and others must help too ; and espe- 
cially does he need the Helper of all helpers, 
Almighty God. 

X. 
XLbc lEiQbtb <3omman&ment, 

168. What is forbidden in the Eighth Commandment ? 

To bear false witness against our neighbor. 

169. What is witness ? 

Every opinion, every utterance, which we 
form or express concerning anything, is a wit- 
ness. 

170. What witness is called false ? 

First, that in which heart and word are false ; 
and secondly, that in which the words are right, 
but heart and purpose are false. - - _ 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 67 

171. Is only false witness before a court of law forbidden in 
this Commandment ? 

Though we should least of all give false tes- 
timony in court, yet this Commandment forbids 
all false witness. 

172. "What does the Explanation of the Eighth Command- 
ment reckon to be false witness ? 

Four things : falsely lo belie our neighbor, i, 
e., to lie about him ; 

belray him ; 
slander him ; 
defame him. 

Define these words. 

173. In how many of these cases are both heart and 
word false ? 

In three — lying, slander and defamation. 

174. In which of them may the words be right, while 
the heart is false ? 

Betrayal. 

175. What is it to betray any one ? 

To tell his secrets to his harm. 

176. How can the words be right in such a case ? 

Because the secret may be told as it is. 

177. But why is the heart false ? 

Because the secret is told to hurt our neighbor. 

178. What, for instance, was the truth told by Judas ? 

The secret resort of Jesus. 

179. And why do you say Judas' heart was false in 
this? 

Because he intended to hand over his Master 
into the hands of His enemies, . 



68 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

180. It is wrong to give false witness against our 
neighbor; would it be allowable to bear false wit- 
ness for him ? 

No. Neither the heart nor the word of a 
Christian man may depart from the truth, 
whether the issue be for or against our neigh- 
bor. Deut. xvi. 20 ; Lev. xix. 15 ; Ps. xxxiv. 

*3- 

181. Is it right to give true witness against our neigh- 
bor ? 

Certainly, and we must do it when necessary. 

182. But this might do him harm ? 

It is not best to shrink from hurting a sinner, 
if the hurt may be wholesome for his soul. It 
often serves to rescue innocence, and the wel- 
fare of many or of all, and the honor of the 
Lord, to say the truth of a man to his hurt. 

183. But is it not generally thought to be betrayal, 
if one speak truth to the injury of his neighbor ? 

But it is not so. We should do right, that 
truth may be honored in word and deed. 

184. What more must we do, according to the Explanation 
of the Eighth Commandment? 

Excuse our neighbor, speak well of him, and 
make the best of all he does. 

What is it to excuse ? When ought we speak well of any 
one ? What do you mean, by making the best of all he does ? 

185. Ought we in all cases, excuse our neighbor, speak 
well of him, and make the best of all he does ? 

No, for then we would often have to pervert 
the truth. We cannot deny proven guilt, we 
cannot call evil good, open baseness we cannot 
call right, without bearing false witness. 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 69 

186. "What shall we do, when in any particular case 
we are in doubt whether to excuse, speak well of, or 
make the oest of, anything ? 

Let love decide, which walks without blame 
in the kingdom of truth (Eph. iv. 15), which 
is long-suffering and kind, and believes, hopes 
and bears all things (1 Cor. xiii. 4, 7), and is an 
enemy of all falsehood. 

XI. 
Zbc IRintb Commandment* 

187. What is forbidden in the Ninth Commandment? 

To covet. 

188. What does it forbid us to covet ? 

Our neighbor's house. 

189. To what is this extended in the Explanation ? 

His inheritance or hornet 

190. If we are forbidden to wish for our neighbor's 
inheritance or home, is it wrong to wish to buy 
an inheritance or house ? 

To wish to buy anything is not forbidden. 
It is not an unrighteous wish if the desire ceases 
as soon as the sale is refused. 

igi. But what, then, does the Ninth Commandment forbid ? 

Two things: to craftily seek to gain our 
neighbor's inheritance or home, and to get it 
by a show of right. 

192. And why is this forbidden in the Explanation ? 

Because it is the bad fruit of a bad, unright- 
eous desire for our neighbor's inheritance or 
home. 



70 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

193. What desire for a neighbor's inheritance or home do 
you call unrighteous ? 

That which does not regard the inviolability 
of another's property, but aims at getting it 
without and against the will of its just owner, 
which may be done craftily or with an appear- 
ance of legality. 

194. What does the Explanation bid us do ? 

To help and serve our neighbor. 

195. In what ? 

In keeping his inheritance or home. 
Zcnth Commandment* 

196. What is forbidden in this Commandment ? 

Coveting, again. 

197. And what are we here forbidden to covet ? 

Anything that is our neighbor's. 

198. What is mentioned especially ? 

His wife, manservant, maidservant, and cat- 
tle. 

igg. What, according to the Explanation, are we forbidden 
to do to our neighbor's cattle ? 

Let them loose, or drive them away. 

200. How ? 

Without our neighbor's knowledge and con- 
sent. 

201 What are we not to do to his wife and servants ? 

Estrange them, or entice them away. 

202. But what, on the other hand, ought we do ? 

Urge them to stay and do their duty. 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 7 1 

XII. 

©f tbe IRintb an& Zcnth Commandments* 

203. What is then forbidden in the Ninth Command- 
ment ? 

All lust or coveting. 

204. And in the Tenth ? 

Coveting, again. 

205. Lusting after what, is forbidden in the Ninth 
Commandment? 

After one thing, our neighbor's house. 

206. And what lust is forbidden in the Tenth? 

After anything denied to me and given to 
another; all sorts of desires of what others 
have.* 

207. "What do you call the evil disposition of the soul 
which sets all its desire on one thing which it is 
forbidden to have? 

A passion. In the Ninth Commandment, as 
it is given Ex. xx. 17, the passion of avarice 
is forbidden. 

208. What name does the Church give to " passion?" 

Actual lust. 

209. "Why is it so called? 

Because it urges, and does not rest, till evil 
is done. 

*Ex. xx. 17, the Ninth Comjnandment forbids to covet our 
neighbor's house ; and the Tenth, to covet his wife. But in 
Deut. v. 21, in the repetition of the Commandments, the wife is 
mentioned in the Ninth, and the house in the Tenth. This 
shows that the distinction of the two Commandments does not 
depend on the distinction between house and wife, but that in 
the Ninth, a coveting of one thing, and in the Tenth, all covet- 
ing of all sorts of forbidden things, is censured. 



72 LUTHER S SMALX CATECHISM. 

210. What, therefore, is forbidden in the Ninth Com- 
mandment ? 

Lust. 

an. And what is the miserable disposition called, 
which, dissatisfied with what itself has, grudges a 
neighbor whatever he has, his wife, his household, 
his cattle, in short whatever he may have ? 

Covetousness and discontent. 

212. Who is free from such a disposition ? 

Naturally, no one. Only Christ the Lord. 

213. And whence have we this discontented and cov- 
etous heart? 

It is handed down from parents to children, 
ever since the Fall of Adam. 

214. And what do you call it therefore? 

Inherited lust. (Natural Concupiscence.) 

215. "Which Commandment opposes to inherited lust 
all the authority of the Lord? 

The Tenth, — in forbidding all the wandering 
desire of the soul, all wishing for what is our 
neighbor's. 

216. Is natural concupiscence the same thing as "or- 
iginal sin ?" 

No. It is only a part of it. 

217. What is original sin? 

Inherited and inborn lust and inclination to 
evil — and also inherited and inborn powerless- 
ness in respect of what is right. 

218. By what is evil lust awakened in man ? 

The Commandment. St. Paul, in Rom. vii. 
7, 8, says, "I had not known sin but by the 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 73 

Law: for I had not known lust, except the 
Law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, 
taking occasion by the Commandment, wrought 
in me all manner of concupiscence ; for with- 
out the Law sin was dead." 

219. What is the result of the excitement of inborn 
lust ? 

Actual lust, with all actual sin in word and 
deed. 

220. And how does actual lust come out of the sinful 
desire in our hearts? 

When a man takes pleasure in sinful desire 
and yields his will to its temptation. " Every 
man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his 
own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath 
conceived, it bringeth forth sin ; and sin, when 
it is finished, bringeth forth death." James i. 

221. What does the Tenth Commandment show us? 

The source of all actual sin. 

222. And what is the source of all good works ? 

Fear, love and trust in God, i. e. the fulfil- 
ment of the First Commandment, to which I am 
admonished by the explanation of every other 
Commandment. 

223 And how does this become the source of all truly 
good works ? 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wis- 
dom. Love is the fulfilling of the Law. And 
they that trust in Him bring forth fruit with- 
out ceasing. We will neither do wrong, nor 



74 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATKCHISM. 

neglect what is right, if we live in observance 
of the First Commandment. 

224. What, however, resists the observance of the 
First Ccmmandment ? 

Inborn powerlessness and disinclination to 
good. Original sin, which tempts me to all 
evil, hinders all my attempts to do right. 

XIII. 
Zbc Conclusion to tbe Gomman&mente* 

225. What does the Lord thy God call Himself? 

A jealous God. 

226. Who is "jealous?" 

One who is strict in requiring the love due 
him. 

227. If God is strict to require the love due to Him, 
what does He find? 

He finds that men rather hate, than love 
Him ; 

That fathers bring up their children to hate 
Him ; 

And that the children walk in the footsteps 
of their parents. 1 Pet. i. 18. 

228. Are there really men who hate God, and who 
bring up their children to hate Him ? 

St. John says ( i John v. 3), "This is the 
love of God, that we keep His Command- 
ments." And therefore a persistent disobedi- 
ence to His Commandments can be nothing 
but a hatred of God. 



THE COMMANDMENTS. 75 

229. If now, the Lord sees generation after generation walk 
in hatred to Him, what does He do ? 

He visits the sins of the fathers upon the 
children, i. e., He punishes the children with 
their fathers and like their fathers, because 
with and like their fathers they walk in hatred 
to Him. 

230. And what is His purpose in so doing? 

That He may bring the children from the 
way of their fathers. 

231. And how far does He continue to do so ? 

To the third and fourth generation. 

"What is a generation ? 

232. Will He then avenge the sins of parents on pious chil- 
dren ? 

No, He speaks of fathers and children that 
hate Him. If children do not follow the sin of 
their parents they will not follow them in the 
punishment. Jer. xxxi. 29. Ez. xviii. 2. 

233. But what if it does no good to visit the iniquities of the 
fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation ? 

Then He will destroy the children of such 
parents on account of their obstinate hatred and 
disobedience, as is to be seen in the case of 
the kings of Israel. 

234 But what does He promise to them that love Him and 
keep His Commandments ? 

He will show mercy unto thousands of them. 
Ex. xx. 6. 



76 luthkr's smalIv catechism. 

235. What, according to the Explanation, is contained in 
these words concerning the Commandments ? 

Threatening and promise. He threatens to 
punish all who transgress these Command- 
ments. He promises grace and every blessing 
to all who keep them. 

236. Why does He threaten us ? 

That we may fear His wrath and not break 
His Commandments. 

237. And why does He give a promise ? 

That we may love and trust in Him, and 
gladly do what He has commanded us. 



QUESTIONS LEADING TO PART II. 



XIV. 

238. Have you dreaded God's displeasure, and not trans- 
gressed His Commandments ? Have you loved and trusted 
Him and gladly done what He has commanded ? 

Alas, No. I often have broken all the Com- 
mandments of my God, in my thoughts, my 
words and my deeds ; oftener than I can tell ; 
and therefore I have deserved God's wrath and 
punishment. 

239. Will you henceforth keep God's Commandments better 
than in the past ? 

I am not able to. u I know that in me, that 
is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing.' ' 
Rom. vii. 18. 

240. And have you then no hope of amendment ? 

Yes, I have. "God -works in us, both to 
will and to do of His good pleasure." Phil, 
ii. 13. 

241. But are you not already lost because of your countless 
transgressions ? 

No. " Christ has redeemed us from the 
curse of the Law, being made a curse for us." 
Gal. iii. 13. 

242. How do you know that you are freed from the curse of 
the Law, and that God will make you better ? 

From the Gospel. 

(77) 



78 luthkr's small catechism. 

243. And how will God make you better ? 

Through the Gospel, given by the Holy 
Ghost to them that hear. Gal. iii. 2. 

244. Will you then ever be perfectly clean and holy before 
you die ? 

No. Sin, which clings to me even until 
death, will not let me be perfect. Even to the 
day of my death I will find sin and weakness 
in the best things I do. 

245. "Where do you learn the Gospel ? 

In Part II. of the Catechism, to which we 
are coming now. 

246. Is the First Part of the Catechism useless to you 
because you neither could keep the Law of the 
Lord, nor can now keep it as you ought to ?* 

Certainly not. It has been of use to me 
hitherto as a bar and a looking-glass, and I 
hope it will also prove to me a bit and bridle. 

247. How has it been a " bar " to you ? 

Just as a wild beast when caged still is a wild 
beast, but the bars will not let him break out 
and do harm, so the Law keeps an unconverted 
man from giving rein to all the bad impulses 
that are in him. 

*For this reason all of us, to the day of our death, must pray 
the Fifth Petition: "Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive 
those who trespass against us." No one can do more than St. 
Paul, Rom. vii. 146°. Though in our Baptism we are washed 
all over, we need the daily washing of our feet by our Lord, 
for eur feet in their daily walk daily become dusty, and new 
sin cleaves to our souls every day. John xiii. 10.. 



QUESTIONS TO SECOND PART. 79 

248. And in what sense is it a looking-glass? 

I see iu the Law the sinfulness of my soul. 
"Through the L,aw is the knowledge of sin." 
Rom. iii. 20. 

249. And how can it be a bit and bridle ? 

Just as a w 7 ell- broken horse can be guided by 
a gentle motion of the hand, and even of a fin- 
ger, so a man who has been renewed by God's 
Word, and has a good will, can be led and 
guided by the law of God on the w T ay to eter- 
nal life. Matt. xi. 30. 

250. And what do you need above all else, in order 
that the Law may become this to you, and that 
you may learn and keep this third use of it? 

That I learn the Gospel from this Second 
Part of the Catechism, and from the Gospel re- 
ceive the Spirit, who will renew and confirm 
my spirit in obedience to God's Command- 
ments. 



QUESTIONS 
INTRODUCTORY TO PART II. 



XV. 

251. What do you call the Second Part of the Catechism? 

The Creed. 

252. What is the meaning of that word ? 

It means 1. a statement of what we ought to 
believe, and 2. the belief ot our hearts. 

258. What is a Creed? 

A Confession of Faith, which may be written 
or printed, or may merely be kept in the memory. 

254. And what do you mean by the "Belief of the heart?" 

The certain assurance that all divine saving 
truth is what the Confession of Faith or Creed , 
contains and confesses. 

255. But is not faith, according to Heb. ii. I, the substance 
of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen ? 

Yes. But the Creed tells what things are 
hoped for, and what are the things not seen. 

256. By which faith are we saved, the Creed or the belief of 
the heart? 

By neither alone, but by both together. He 
who does not know what to believe is saved as 
little as he who does not believe what he ought. 

(80) 



QUESTIONS TO SECOND PART. 8 1 

The Creed without faith helps not at all ; and 
faith is impossible without a Creed. 

Remark.— Just as head, memory, mouth and heart belong to 
one and the same man, so creed and faith, confession and assur- 
ance, belong together and are one. 

257. Where do you find a statement of what you ought to 
believe in your heart? 

In the Apostles' Creed. 

258. Why do you call it ** the Apostles' Creed ?" 

Because it precisely agrees with the words 
and teachings of the Apostles. 

25g. Are there other Creeds ? 

The Nicene, of the year 325, the Athanasian 
(of the former part of the fifth century), the 
Augsburg Confession and its Apology of 1530, 
the Smalkald Articles of 1537, and the Formula 
of Concord of 1579. The Small and the Large 
Catechisms are also confessions of the Chjurch. 

260. What is the difference between these Confessions ? 

They do not contain different beliefs, but 
they belong to different periods, have different 
ends, and exhibit different manners of com- 
position. One explains and completes the 
other, but all agree in the same faith. 

261. Does the whole Second Part of the Catechism belong to 
the Apostles' Creed? 

No. The Explanation, though quite worthy 
of the text, comes not from the Apostles, nor 
from their time, but from Dr. Martin L,uther. 



82 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

262. How is the Apostles' Creed divided ? 

Into three Articles. 

263. What does the first Article of Faith confess ? 

The First Person of the Godhead, the 
Father, and His works. 

264. And what are His works ? 

Creation and Providence. 

265. And what does the Second Ar icle confess ? 

The Second Person of the Godhead, the Son, 
and His work — Redemption. 

, 266. And what does the Third Article confess ? 

The Third Person of the Godhead, the Holy 
Ghost, and His work — the sanctification of 
mankind in His holy Church. 

267. And is our Creed therefore a lovely picture of the Holy 
Trinity ? 

Yes. As there is one true eternal God and 
in Him three Persons ; so have we one faith, 
but in that one Faith are there three Articles. 



OF THE HOLY TRINITY. 



XVI. 

The doctrine of the Holy Trinity is not expressly treated in 
IvUther's Small Catechism, but it is presupposed, for a man is to 
grow in belief of it from the hour of his birth. The proof of the 
doctrine easily may be drawn from the Holy Scriptures, thus : 

It is without doubt tnat the I,ord is One God. Ex. xx. 3 ; Deut. 
vi. 4 ; Mark xii. 29 ; 1 Cor. viii. 6 ; Is. xliv. 6, 8. 

Just as little question can there be, that the Holy Scriptures 
ascribe the names of God, His Attributes, Works and Glory, to 
three Persons. 

1. To the Father. K. g. Kph. i. 3, 7. 

2. To the Son. John i. 1, 3, 5, 22, 23; ii. 25; viii. 58; xvii. 5; 
xxi. 17 ; xx. 28 ; xii. 41, compared with Is. vi. 1 ; Actsxx. 28 ; Rom. 
ix. 5 ; Col. i. 16, 17 : 1 Tim. Hi. 16 ; Heb. i. 3, 6 ; Rev. i. 8 ; Jer. xxiii. 
6 ; Micah v, 1 ; Is. xl. 3. 

3. To the Holy Ghost. Acts v. 3, 4, 9 ; 1 Cor. ii. 10, 12 ; iii. 16 ; xii. 
4-6, 11 ; Heb. ix. 14. 

We find all three together. Matt. iii. i3ff; xxviii. 19; 2 Cor. 
xiii. 13. 

If there is One Divine Being, yet three distinct Divine Persons, 
these Three Persons must be One Divine Being, and this One 
Divine Being must be in each of these Three Persons. This is a 
secure conclusion of faith. The doctrine is far beyond our under- 
standing ; but thus has God revealed Himself, thus will He be 
worshipped, so is He. 

This knowledge of the Triune God is necessary to eternal life, 
because eternal life consists in the true knowledge of God, John 
xvii. 3. No one has the Father who has not the Son and the 
Spirit, 1 John ii. 23, Rom. viii. 9, and no one can receive the 
Baptism that saves, except in belief and confession of the Triune 
God. Matt, xxviii. 19. 

(83) 



QUESTIONS ON 
THE MEANING OF PART II. 



XVII. 

268. What is the subject of the First Article ? 

Creation. 

"What is the meaning of Create? Creator? Creation? 

269. To which of the three Persons of the Godhead is crea- 
tion especially attributed ? 

To the First, the Father. 

270. On whom do you therefore believe in the First Article ? 

God the Father. 

271. "Why do you call Him Father ? 

In distinction from the Second Person of the 
Godhead, the Only begotten Son, Who is in 
the bosom of the Father (John i. 14, 18), 
Whom we confess in the Second Article. 

272. What is the Father? 

The Creator. 

273. And what did He create ? 

Heaven and earth. 

274. What is the word for heaven and earth together ? 

The World, or the Universe. 
(84) 



THE CREED. 85 

275. What do you call God because He was able to make 
heaven and earth ? 

The Almighty. 

276. What, according to the Explanation, do you believe? 

That God has made me. 

277. You only ? 

No. Together with all creatures. 

What is " a creature ? " 

278. Where do you find a description of Creation ? 

In the first two chapters of the Bible. 

279. In how many days did God make heaven and 
earth ? 

In six days. 

280. What did He make on the first day ? 

Heaven and earth, and day and night. 

281. And what were the works of the other days ? 

On the second, God finished the heavens ; 
On the third, sea and land, and all plants ; 
On the fourth, sun,, moon and stars ; 
On the fifth, fishes and birds ; 
On the sixth, land animals and man. 

282. Which are the noblest of God's creatures ? 

Angels and man. 

283. What are the angels ? 

Glorious spirits, without bodies such as we 
have. Heb. i. 7; Col. i. 16. 

284. Were they created befo^p the world ? 

No. God ended all His work in six days. 



86 ujther's smaw, catechism. 

Gen. ii. i, 2. Ps. civ. 3, the Angels are reck- 
oned among the works of God. 

285. When were they made ? 

We do not know, though Ps. civ. 3 may in- 
clude them on the second day. 

286. What is the difference between men and angels ? 

Man is a spirit, but he has also a body of 
flesh and bone. 

287. Where do you find an account of the creation of 
man ? 

In the first, but especially in the second, 
chapter of the Bible. 

288. What did God give to man at his creation ? 

Body and soul. 

283. And what did He give to the body ? 

Eyes, ears and all its members. 

290. Why does the Catechism mention eyes and ears partic- 
ularly ? 

Because these are at the present our princi- 
pal members, and the most useful to our eter- 
nal salvation. 

291. What use do you make of your eyes ? 

With them I see God's glory in His works 
— and read the Bible. 

2g2. And of your ears ? 

With them I hear His works, especially His 
saving Word. 

293. What did God gfcre to your soul ? 

Reason and all my senses. 



THE CREED. 87 

294. What use do you make of reason ? 

By it my spirit grasps what God's Spirit 
says to ine in His Word. 

295. What do you understand by " all your senses ? " 

The other powers of the soul, such as the 
will, the memory, &c. 

XVIII. 

296. Did the angels remain in their first estate ? 

Not all. Many abode not in the truth (John 
viii. 44), but sinned (2 Pet. ii. 4) : kept not 
their high estate but forsook their habitation 
(Jude vi.). 

297. When did that take place ? 

After Creation had been finished ; for when 
He had finished all, God said that it was good. 
Gen. i. 31. 

298. How many kinds of angels are there, since then ? 

Two, good and bad. 

299. Where did evil begin ? 

In the angels, some of whom turned their 
mind and will away from God. 

300. Have men continued to be what God made them ? 

No. Misled by the devil, the prince of the 
fallen angels, Eve, and then Adam, fell. Gen. 
iii. 

301. And what was the consequence of the fall ? 

Adam and his posterity became bad. Gen. 
v. 3; vi. 3> 5; viii. 21. 



88 luther's smalx catechism. 

302. What did Adam thereby lose ? 

The likeness of God in which he had been 
created ; which before the fall he possessed in 
his completeness, freedom, immortality and 
strength of body and soul ; and which now he 
will have to put on again. Gen. i. 16-28 ; Col. 
iii. 10; Epn. iv. 24. 

303. Has God now turned away from men altogether ? 

No. Although they became miserable and 
continually fell more and more into forgetful- 
ness of God and into sin, He resolved to re- 
deem them, and promised One who should 
bruise the serpent's head, Gen. iii. 15, and con- 
quer hell. 

304. Have the holy angels forsaken sinful men ? 

No, for their Creator has not. They are all 
ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to 
them that shall be heirs of salvation. Heb. 
i. 14. 

305. And what does the Lord in His mercy still do for men ? 

Preserves us. 

306. How does the Catechism express this ? 

He still preserves me. 

307. What is implied by the word •' still " ? 

It is an admiring hint of the depth of our 
fall and of the unfathomableness of God's 
grace. 

308 Does the Lord give and preserve to us only our bodies 
and souls and all our senses ? 

No. Besides, He gives and preserves many 
things, without which I could not exist. 



THE CREED. 89 

309. "What does He give to cover the poor body of fallen man ? 

Clothing and shoes. Gen. hi. 21. 

310. What for its nourishment ? 

Meat and drink. 

311. What for shelter ? 

House and home. 

312. 'What for affection and society ? 

Wife and child. 

313. What for work and employment ? 

Land, cattle and goods. * 

314. And how do you say He gives you all ? 

He provides me with all that I need for this 
body and life. 

What is Need f 

315. Why does the Catechism say, " Of this body and life " ? 

Because we are speaking here of temporal 
benefits only, and have not yet come to the re- 
demption of men from all evil, and the glory of 
the promised body and life. 

316. And in what measure does He provide ? 

Richly. 

317. And how long and how often ? 

Daily. 

318. And is that the end of His goodness ? 

No. He protects me. 

* See how good God is to poor fallen man, and owns him as His 
creature. Of what use is clothing without food— or food with- 
out shelter — or this without affection and society — and even this, 
if he have not occupation ? 



90 LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM. 

What is it " to protect ? V 
3ig. Against what does He protect you ? 

Against all danger. 

320. And what more does He do ? 

He keeps and guards me. 

What do these words mean ? 

321. From what ? 

All evil. 

322. The First Article is said to treat of Creation and 
Providence : How then does care, protection, pre- 
servation and guarding come into it ? 

God provided for us 1 . by supplying all our 
wants, and 2. by protecting, keeping and 
guarding us against all evil. * 

323. "Why does God do all this ? 

Purely out of fatherly divine goodness and 
mercy. 

324. And without what on your part ? 

Without any merit or worthiness in me.f 

325. And what do you therefore owe God ? 

For all this I am in duty bound to thank and 
praise, to serve and obey Him. 

Here examine yourself. 

326. How do you confirm what you have just confessed ? 

This is most certainly true. 

*Give to a child everything it needs ; care for it as you may; if 
you protect it not from wind and weather, from murderers, 
thieves and wild beasts, against sickness and infirmities, how 
long will it live? 

f All this God does to His enemies also. Therefore we speak 
of His universal love. 



THE CREED. 91 

337. What old word of another tongue expresses this ? 

Amen. 

XIX. 

328. On whom do you believe in the Second Article ? 

In Jesus Christ. 

What is the meaning of the name "Jesus " ? 
What is the meaning of " Christ " ? 

329. Who is Jesus Christ ? 

The Son of God. 

330. Are you not a son and child of God ? 

Yes, but not in the same sense in which 
Jesus is God's Son. 

331. Why not ? 

I am an adopted child of God, and so are all 
other believers on earth. Christ, however, is 
born of God's own substance, God of God. No 
one else can say this of himself. 

332 What does the Creed therefore call Jesus Christ, in con- 
tradistinction from all other sons ? 

The Only-begotten Son of God. John i. 14, 
18; Col. i. 15. 

333. Of whom did His mother conceive Him ? 

Of the Holy Ghost. * Luke i. 26-38. 

334. Of whom was He born ? 

Of the Virgin Mary, f Luke ii. 1-20. 

*At Nazareth in Galilee. — Feast of the Annunciation , March 25. 
f At Bethlehem, in Judea— Christmas, December 25. 



92 luthkr's small catechism. 

335« Why is she called the Virgin ? 

Because she is the promised Virgin beyond 
compare, and because before and after the birth 
of her blessed Son she remained a Virgin. Is. 
vii. 14. 

336. Was this wonderful Son of God and of the Virgin re- 
ceived by the world as He deserved to be ? 

No. He was not treated as He ought to 
have been. "He came unto His own, and 
His own received Him not." John i. 11. 

337. What happened to Him ? 

After thirty-three years of weary life came 
the heavy Passion, of which the Creed says. 
He suffered * Matt. xxvi. 27; Mark xiv. 15; 
Luke xxii. 23 ; John xviii. 19. 

338. Under whom did He suffer ? 

Under Pontius Pilate, the governor ap- 
pointed by the Roman Emperor. Matt, xxvii. 
1 iff. ; Mark xv. iff. 

339. What shameful punishment was inflicted ? « 

He was crucified, Matt, xxvii. 31-35 ; Mark 
xv. 25ff. ; Luke xxiii. 33ff. ; John xix. 16-25. 

340. And what was the awful end of this ? 

He died.f Matt, xxvii. 50; Mark xv. 37; 
Luke xxiii. 46 ; John xix. 30. 

341. Do we certainly know that He did die ? 

Yes, we know it by the testimony of God 

* In and near Jerusalem— the Passion, from Ash Wednesday 
to the Great Sabbath. 

t At Jerusalem, on Mt. Calvary, Golgotha— on Good Friday. 



THE CREED. 93 

and men. It had been foretold by the holy 
Prophets (Is. liii.) "Thus it behooved Christ 
to suffer, and be preached to all nations." 
Luke xxiv. 46, 47. On the Cross our Lord 
Himself commended His spirit into His Fath- 
er's hands, Luke xxiii. 46, and then gave up 
the ghost. Many saw and heard it, (Luke 
xxiii. 47-49). The soldiers pierced His side 
with a spear-wound, into which a man might 
put his hand. John xix. 33f ; xx. 27. And 
Pilate also inquired carefully concerning His 
death. Mark xviii. 44, 45. 

342. And what occurred after His death ? 

He was buried in the new tomb of the coun- 
sellor Joseph of Arimathea.* Matt, xxvii. 60 ; 
Mark xv. 42-46 ; Luke xxiii. 50-53 ; John 
xix. 38-42. 

Remark.— The whole life of our Lord, from His lowly birth in 
the stable at Bethlehem to His death and burial, is called the 
state of His Humiliation. 

343. Did He remain dead and in the grave? 

Not at all. ''He*had power to lay down 
His life, and He had power to take it again." 
John x. 18. He had this power and He proved 
it. 

344. How, in the first instance ? 

He resumed His life in the body on Easter 
Morning and descended into Hell. Eph. iv. 
8-10; Col. ii. 15; 1 Pet. iii. 18-20. 

* From Good Friday night until Easter morning He lay in the 
tomb of Joseph of Arimathea— the Great Sabbath. 



94 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

345. And what was the object of His descent into 
Hell? 

That upon the strong man armed the 
Stronger than he might come (Luke xi. 21), to 
solemnly take from the devil unto Himself the 
power of death (Heb. ii. 14), and also to fill 
Hell with the glory of His Divine-human Per- 
son (Eph. iv. 8ff.), to triumph over the powers 
of Hell openly (Cor. ii. 15), and to show to the 
lost the righteousness of faith in its victory and 
triumph, which they had despised and mocked 
(1 Pet. iii. i8ff.). 

346. What followed the descent into Hell ? 

He rose again from the dead.* Matt, xxviii. 
6ff. ; Mark xvi. 6 ; Luke xxvi. 5-7 ; John xx. 

347. And when was this ? 

On Easter Morning, on the third day after 
His death. 

348. Did He show Himself to His own after His res- 
urrection from the dead ? 

Yes. The women s%w Him, then Mary 
Magdalene, then Cephas (Peter), the two on 
the way to Emmaus, the Ten — all on Easter ; 
eight days afterwards, the Eleven saw Him ; 
the disciples saw Him, at the Sea of Tiberias ; 
on the mountain in Galilee He was seen by 
above five hundred brethren at once ; then by 
James ; and finally, by all the Apostles at His 
Ascension. 1 Cor. xv. iff. John xxi. 

* Easter— since the Council of Nicaea, celebrated on the Sun- 
day after the full moon that follows the 21st of March. 



the; creed. 95 

349. Why did He appear to them so often ? 

To render His disciples certain that He had 
risen, and to talk with them of the kingdom of 
God. Acts i. 3 ; Luke xxiv. 25S. ; 44ff. 

350. What occurred on the fortieth day after Easter? 

He ascended into Heaven.* Mark xvi. 19; 
Luke xxvi. 50, 51 ; Acts i. 9-1 1. 

351. Why did He thus go up to Heaven ? 

"That He might fill all things." Eph. iv. 
10. 

35a. And where is He since His ascension? 

He sitteth at the Right Hand of God the 
Father Almighty. 

353. Are we to understand by this merely that He sits in the 
body on the throne of glory ? 

No. To sit at the Right Hand of God 
means to be equal with God in power and 
glory. Matt, xxviii. 18. 

354. Is He now far away from us who are on the 
earth ? 

In virtue of His entrance upon the Father's 
power and glory He can fulfil His promise, 
" Behold, I am with you alway, even unto the 
end of the world," Matt, xxviii. 20; and 
* ' Wheresoever two or three are gathered in my 
Name, there am I in the midst of them." 
Matt, xviii. 20. 

* At Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, on the fortieth day after 
Easter — which always falls on a Thursday — Ascension Day. 



96 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM, 

355. Will He always remain hidden from us in His great 
glory, or will He come again ? 

From thence also He will come again. 
Matt. xxiv. 30. Now He fills heaven and 
earth with His divine-human glory, without 
our seeing it. But He will come visibly, as 
He went visibly. Acts i. 10, 11. 

356. And for what purpose will He come ? 

To judge the quick and the dead. Matt. 
xxv. 31. 

What is it, " to judge ?" Who are " the quick ?" 

Remark.— The life of our Lord, from the Descent into Hell, is 
called the state of Exaltation. His humiliation did not last 
long, but His exaltation has no end, but endures from everlast- 
ing to everlasting. 

XX. 

357. What, according to the Explanation of the Second Ar- 
ticle of the Creed, do you believe about Jesus Christ? 

That He is my Lord. 

358. And what does the Explanation call Him ? 

True God. 1 John v. 20. 

359. Of whom is the Son, True God, begotten ? 

Of the Father. 

360. And when was He begotten of the Father? 

From eternity. 

361. Which is greater, the Father or the Son ? 

" As is the Father, such is the Son, and such 
is the Holy Ghost." (See the Athanasian 
Creed.) Each Person of the Godhead is equal 
to the other, in essence and power and glory. 



. THE CREED. 97 

362. But what else does the Explanation call our Lord ? 

True man. 

363. How can you prove that He was True Man ? 

Because He had a human soul, which could 
both rejoice and be troubled even unto death 
(Luke x. 21; Matt. xxvi. 38), which in dying 
He committed into the hands of His Father, 
which was separated from the body ; and a 
human body, which was born, lived, suffered 
and died, as our bodies do. 

364. Of whom was the true Man Jesus Christ born, according 
to the explanation ? 

Of the Virgin Mary. 

365. What difference is there between God the 
Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost? 

God the Son is also true man ; but the 
Father, like the Spirit, is only true God. The 
Son became man for our sake, but the Father 
and the Spirit did not. 

366. How many natures therefore are united in the Second 
Person of the Trinity, since He became Man ? 

Two: the divine nature and the human na* 
ture are truly united in one person in Christ. 

XXI. 

367. Is Christ now according to His Divine-human Person 
equal to the Father ? 

Equal to the Father according to His God- 
head, less than the Father according to His 
humanity. (Athanasian Creed.) John x. 29, 
30 ; xiv. 28. 



98 i^tjthkr's smaix catechism. 

368. There is no one like the Son of God. Holy and glorious 
is His Name, and highly exalted above every name. What, 
however, were you, from your youth up ? 

A lost and condemned creature. 

36g What is a lost creature ? 

One who always goes wrong, who never can 
find the end of his being and the way to it, 
who has no hope of coming to his eternal 
home. 

370. What is a condemned creature? 

One on whom God's curse lies and shuts him 
out from his eternal home and from salvation. 

371. And why were you a lost and condemned creature ? 

I was lost, because I did not know the way 
to eternal life ; I was condemned, because God 
had laid His curse upon me and had delivered 
me to death and the devil. 

372. You were lost and condemned : are you not still ? 

No. The Lord Jesus, the great Son of God 
and of the Virgin, has taken my soul to His 
heart, that it might not perish. 

373. And how has He done this ? 

He has redeemed, purchased and won me. 

What is the meaning of redeemed ? of purchased ? of won ? 

374. What has He redeemed, purchased and won you from? 

From all sins, on account of which I was 
condemned, and in which I went astray. 



THE CREED. 99 

375. And from what else ? 

From death* and from the power of the 
devil, fto which I was given over. 

376. In how far has He delivered you from sins? 

He bore the curse of sin for me, He broke 
the dominion of sin over me, and in Him I am 
free from sin and its control. 

377. In how far has He purchased you from death ? 

His death has broken the sting of my death, 
and my flesh shall rest in hope, for He has 
brought life and immortality to light by His 
resurrection. 

378. And in how far has He won you from the devil ? 

He has taken away the devil's power over 
me, freed me from the kingdom of darkness, 
and translated me into the kingdom of love 
and light. 

379. Wherewith did He redeem, purchase and win you? 

Not with silver and gold. 

380. Why ? 

Gold and silver could not redeem immortal 
souls from the bondage of sin, from the chains 
of death, and from the power of the devil. 

* " Death is the wages of sin" — he who sins, falls into bodily 
and spiritual, temporal and eternal death. Through Christ we 
are freed from all death, even from the death of the body. For 
our flesh also rests in hope, and that our souls are delivered 
from this body of death, is a blessing. 

fThe sinner is under the power of the devil by his own fault and 
by the righteous sentence of God. But Christ reconciled us to 
God, satisfied His righteousness, and won for Himself a right to 
us. 



IOO ujther's SMAI.Iv catechism. 

381. But wherewith did our Lord Jesus Christ redeem you? 

With His holy precious blood, and with His 
innocent sufferings and death. 

382. And why did He have to give His body and life 
for your redemption and that of all poor sinners ? 

The rule is, soul for soul. That I might not 
be given over to the devil, on account of my 
sin, and to death, He, my substitute, had to 
innocently die for me, becoming my lamb of 
sacrifice. "Without shedding of blood there 
is no remission of sins." Heb. ix. 22. There- 
fore St. John Baptist pointed to Him, and with 
him we sing, O Christ, thou Lamb of God, 
that takest away the sins of the world, have 
mercy upon us ! Grant us Thy peace ! Is. 
liii. ; John i. 29. 

383. Inasmuch as He has bought you with such a price, 
what is your confession ? 

He redeemed me that I might be His. 

384. If He then has acquired a perfect right to you, so that 
He is your Lord and you belong to Him, what follows ? 

That I am in my Lord's power, body and 
soul, for time and for eternity, and His will 
must be mine. 

385. And what is His will concerning you, since you are 
His? 

That I should live under Him in His king- 
dom and not in the world, as before, nor under 
the prince of this world, the devil. 

386. And what do you mean by living uuder Him ? 

To live according to His will, to serve Him. 



THE CREED. 101 

387. And what does the word " live " mean here? 

Never to die, to live forever. 

388. And why do we live in His kingdom forever? 

His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; He 
is an everlasting King, who gives eternal life 
to His people. 

389. What does the Catechism therefore say of this life under 
Him? 

That we may serve Him in everlasting right- 
eousness, innocence and blessedness.* 

3go. Can you not attain to this everlasting righteousness, in- 
nocence and blessedness until after death, in the kingdom of 
Heaven ? 

His kingdom is here now, and I receive 
everlasting righteousness, innocence and bless- 
edness now, as soon as I come into His king- 
dom through repentance and faith. 

391. But do you not sin every day ? 

But He is righteous, and His righteousness 
is mine, and in it even the righteousness of my 
own life is made to grow. 

392. But how can you be innocent in all your guilt ? 

I am innocent through the forgiveness of my 
sins. 

393. And are you not saved ? 

Yes, I am saved, though in hope only. My 
sadness lessens dail}', and daily my joy becomes 
more complete. 

* Here see the Son in His glory, and on His neck the redeemed 
soul in eternal teauty ! Beautiful as is the end of the Explana- 
tion of the First Article, the close of the Explanation of this Ar- 
ticle is yet more glorious. This draws us to the Lord. What a 
God ! Where is a God who comes so near to His people? 



102 mother's smau, catechism. 

394. But how can you speak of everlasting righteousness, in- 
nocence and blessedness ? Will you not die ? 

All will be with me as it was with Christ ; 
like as He is risen from the dead, lives and 
reigns to all eternity. 

395. What does this mean ? 

Just as through death Christ came to His 
eternal throne, instead of being shut therefrom, 
so my body and my soul will not be deprived 
of eternal life through death. I will rise from 
the dead, and with Him live and reign to all 
eternity. 

396. And what do you, with the Explanation, say to this ? 

Amen. This is most certainly true. 
XXII. 

397. Or| whom do you believe in the Third Article? 

The Holy Ghost. 

398. Who is the Holy Ghost ? 

The Third Person of the Godhead, equal to 
the Father and the Son in essence, majesty 
and glory. 

3gg. What do you believe concerning the Holy Ghost ? 

That from all eternity He proceeds from the 
Father and from the Son, and has been sent by 
the Father and by the Son for the sanctification 
of men. 

400. What is the meaning of the words, "He proceed- 
eth from the Father and the Son ?" 

They denote the manner of the origin of the 



THE CREED. IO3 

Third Person of the Trinity, as it is described 
in the Athanasiati Creed : 

"The Father is made of none : neither cre- 
ated, nor begotten. 

1 ' The Son is of the Father alone : not made, 
nor created, but begotten. 

" The Holy Ghost is of the Father, and of 
the Son: neither made, nor created, nor be- 
gotten, but proceeding." 

All our imagination and thought fall short 
of this thrice- holy mystery. 

401. Is all Christendom agreed in the doctrine of the 
procession of the Holy Ghost from the Father and 
the Son? 

No. The Eastern church believes that the 
Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father alone. 

402. Why ? 

Because no express word declaring His 
procession from the Son is found in the Scrip- 
tures. 

403. Why then is it believed in the West? 

Because otherwise the Father and the Son 
would not be equal. John xvi. 15. 

Because otherwise the order of Persons would 
not be clear, nor would it be evident which is 
the Second, and which the Third Person. 

Because otherwise the Holy Ghost would be 
sent by the Father alone, and not by the 
Father and the Son. John xv. 26 ; xvi. 7 ; xiv. 
26. 

Because otherwise the Spirit could not be 
called the Spirit of the Son. Gal. iv. 6. 



104 LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM. 

404. What more do you believe in the Third Article? 

The Church. 

405. What is the Church? 

The communion of saints. 

406. Why is it called the communion of saints? 

Because all the saints of God are collected in 
it or belong to it. 

407. Whom do you call "saints?** 

According to Holy Scripture, not only the 
perfected saints of God in heaven, but also the 
saints who are becoming holy on earth, those 
called to be saints, who not yet are what they 
are to be, and what they can become and will 
become. Rom. i. 7; 1 Cor. i. 2; Eph. i. 1. 

408. Are there not then two Churches and communions of 
saints, one of the called, and one of the perfect? 

No. We believe only one Church, to which 
all the saints of all ages and all places belong 
in time and eternity. 

409. And what name do you give to the one Church, be- 
cause all saints of God belong to it here and in the world to 
come ? 

One holy Church. 

410. But are not unholy men mixed with the Church 
here on earth? 

Yes. As tares were sown among the wheat, 
so are there hypocrites and lip-worshippers in 
the Church. Still, the Church gets its name 
from the holy in it, as the field remained a 
wheatfield in spite of the tares ; and her true 
members seek daily purification in the forgive- 



THE CREED. 105 

ness of their sins, and through daily brotherly 
*> love and pastoral care, and through Christian 
discipline (Matt, xviii. i5ff.) aim at the sanc- 
tification of the whole as well as of the several 
parts. 

4x1. What further name is given to the Church in the 
Creed ? 

Christian. 

412. Why is the Church called " Christian ?" 

She bears the name of Christ her Head, 
whose body she is — and who is her foundation, 
on which she is built up a spiritual habitation 
and temple of God. Eph. iv. i5f. ; 1 Cor. iii. 11. 

413. Why do we say, " I believe the holy Church," 
and not, in the holy Church? 

Because we believe * * in ' ' the three Persons 
of the Holy Trinity. 

414. "Why is the Church mentioned in the Third Article, 
which refers to the Holy Ghost ? 

When the Holy Ghost was poured out on 
Pentecost, He founded the Church. It is born 
of Him through the Word and Sacraments, it 
is His w r ork, and at the same time His work- 
place and instrument for the salvation of man- 
kind. 

415. Where is the Church? 

Where God's Word and Sacraments are. 
Matt, xxviii. 19. 

4x6. Who belong to it? 

All who believe and are baptized. Mark 
xvi. 16; Acts ii. 40-42. 



106 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATKCHISM. 

417. But are there not many different Churches ? 

Alas, yes, through human guilt, which will 
not obey the truth, many parties have arisen 
in the Church; but in comparison with the rest 
only one is true. 

418. And which is the true Church? 

That which teaches and confesses God's 
Word purely, and administers the Sacraments 
according to the institution of Christ. John 
viii. 31 ; x. 27. 

419. What Church does this? 

The so-called Lutheran church, to which 
therefore the titles Christian and Apostolic be- 
long especially. 

420. How can you find out what the Lutheran Church 
teaches? 

From her confessions, which no Lutheran 
preacher dare contradict. 

421. What are those Confessions ? 

The three General Creeds, the Augsburg 
Confession and the Apology, the Schmalkald 
Articles, the two Catechisms of Luther, and 
the Formula of Concord. They are all printed 
together in the Book of Concord, published in 
1580. 

422. How do we know that these Confessions accord with 
the Holy Scriptures ? 

By comparing them with the Holy Scriptures. 

423. And how can you find out how the Lutheran Church 
administers the Sacraments? 

From the Liturgies, which no pastor dare 
disregard. 



THE CREED. I07 

424 But how can you know that theLiturgies agree with the 
institution of Christ? 

By comparing them with it. 

425. Can any one be saved in other Churches? 

Yes, because they possess more or less of the 
saving treasure of the Word and Sacraments of 
God. 

426. Would it be right to remain in another Church then? 

No, not after discovering its errors. One 
would not dare remain knowingly in a church, 
after he recognized that its teachings are false 
and its sacraments are wrongly administered, 
for to do so would make him a partaker in the 
guilt of false doctrine and practice. 

427. Is it right to receive the communion in a Church which 
teaches falsely or administers the sacraments falsely? 

Inasmuch as we become one body, one 
church, with those with whom we eat the one 
bread, yet ought not become one with an 
heretical communion, 2 John it, w r e cannot 
commune with any church from which we 
have separated, or which has separated from 
us, on account of the truth. 1 Tim. vi. 3-5 ; 
Tit. iii. 10. 

428. What then is the proper behaviour towards other, i. e. 
false Churches ? 

Not to partake of the communion at their 
altars, but to testify against their errors by 
word and deed; but not to deny that their 
members are saved, leaving that to Him who 
judgeth righteously. 



108 LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM. 

XXIII. 
429 What else do you believe in the Third Article ? 

The forgiveness of sins. 

430. "Why is the forgiveness of sins mentioned im- 
mediately after the Church ? 

Because the forgiveness of sins is the great 
Gospel through which the Church is gathered 
and preserved unto that day. 

Remark. The forgiveness of sins is treated in the II, III., IV., 
V., VI. Parts, because it is the subject of the whole Catechism. 

431. Why is it found in the Third Article? 

Because it is the word and comfort of the 
Spirit and His best gift. 

432. What else do you believe in the Third Article ? 

The resurrection of the bod}^ 

433. Is it possible that any one will rise from the dead ? 

Yes, for Christ has risen. 

434 But is it possible for the body to rise, after it has de- 
cayed? 

Christ did not see corruption, but we shall 
see corruption. The body can rise again, for 
Lazarus rose again, and the corruptible bodies 
of the saints rose again on the day of our 
Lord's death. Matt, xxvii. 52, 53. 

435. Will our bodies also rise again ? 

Yes, for He has said so who w r akened Laza- 
rus from the dead, who Himself rose from the 
dead, and through whom the bodies of the 
saints rose again. 



THE CREED. I09 

436. Will these very bodies rise again, in which we are at 
present ? 

Yes, for otherwise there would not be a re- 
surrection of the body, but a new creation. 

437. Why does this mention of the Resurrection fol- 
low the Forgiveness of sins? 

Because only those rise to eternal life, who 
died in the forgiveness of their sins. 

438. And why does this have place in the Article con- 
cerning the Holy Ghost ? 

Because . through the resurrection of the 
body the work of our sanctification is com- 
pleted, which is begun in the forgiveness of our 
sins. 

439. And what else do you believe in the Third Article? 

The life everlasting. 

440. Why does this come just after the Resurrection ? 

Because everlasting life, for which our bodies 
also were created, does not begin in its com- 
pleteness until after the resurrection. 

441. And why does everlasting life have a place in the 
Article concerning the Holy Ghost ? 

Because everlasting life is the final goal to 
which the Holy Ghost leads us through our 
sanctification. 

XXIV. 

442. Tell me whether, according to the Explanation of the 
Third Article of the Creed, you can come to faith in our Lord 
Jesus Christ ? 

Yes, 



no ijjther's smaw, catechism. 

443. Can you also come to Him, and be united with Him in 
time and in eternity ? 

Yes, I can, I dare, and I ought to. 

444. Can you do this of your own reason or strength ? 

I believe I cannot by my own reason or 
strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or 
come to Him. 

445. Why not? 

Because of the sin born in me I lack light 
and power. Rom. iii. 11, 12. 

446. Who gives you faith, and brings you to Jesus Christ? 

The Lord, the Holy Ghost. 

447. How does He do this ? 

In the order of salvation. 

448. What is the first thing the Holy Ghost does in the Order 
of Salvation ? 

He calls me. 

What is it, to call? 

449. What has He called you from ? 

Away from the w r orld and forth from the 
kingdom of Satan. 

450. And what has He called you to ? 

To His Kingdom, His Church, the Holy 
Communion. 

451. And how has He called you ? 

Through the Gospel. 

What is the Gospel? 

452. Why do you say, Through the Gospel, and not, 
Through the Law? 

The Law commands, and because we neither 



THE CREED. Ill 

can obey nor answer, it threatens and curses 
us, and frightens us from God. But the Gos- 
pel forgives sins and promises life and peace to 
sinners, and so it invites and attracts us. No 
one comes for the Law's sake ; whoever comes, 
comes because of the Gospel. 

453. What is the second gift of the Holy Ghost? 

He has enlightened me with His gifts. 

What is it, to enlighten ? 
454 How does He enlighten us ? 

With His gifts. 

455. And what are those gifts ? 

The bright light of the Law and the Gospel, 
and the knowledge that streams from both. 

456. What light does He give you through the Law ? 

He enlightens me concerning myself, my 
wicked heart, my countless sins. 

457. And what light does He give you through the Gospel ? 

He enlightens me concerning my redemp- 
tion — concerning my Redeemer, and the salva- 
tion He has won for me. 

458. And what does the Holy Ghost give in the third place ? 

Sanctification. He has sanctified me. 

459. What does this mean ? 

He has separated me from the world and 
worldliness, and placed my feet on the way of 
peace and love, and given me both the desire 
and the power to go in this way. 



112 ujther's smau, catechism. 

460. And wherein does He sanctify you ? 

In the true faith. 

461. "Why do you say He sanctifies you •* in the faith " ? 

Because without the faith there is no sancti- 
fication. 

462. And why do you say, " in the true faith " ? 

Because a false faith cannot sanctify, whether 
it be that a man believes what is false, or on 
the other hand does not thoroughly and hon- 
estly receive the true faith. John xvii. 1752 
Peter i. 5-8. 

463. How can you attain the true faith ? 

Through the Gospel, which is the power of 
God unto salvation, Rom. i. 16. Through the 
preaching of faith, from which come faith 
(Rom. x. 17) and the Spirit also (Gal. iii. 2; 
Rom. v. iff.). 

464. What is the last step or grace of the Order of Salvation 
mentioned in the Catechism ? 

Preservation. The Holy Ghost has sancti- 
fied and preserved me. 

465. And wherein has He preserved us? 

In the true faith. 

466. "Why must we be preserved in the true faith ? 

Of what use would it be to have begun in 
the true faith, if we are not preserved in it? 
Not that I begin my course, but that I finish 
it, brings me to the prize of everlasting life. 



THE CRKKD. 113 

467. But why do we again say, in the true faith ? 

Because faith alone, the true faith, and stand- 
ing and continuing in it, saves. Mark xvi. 16. 

468. And how long must faith be preserved in us, and must 
we be preserved in faith, if we wish to'be saved? 

Until our end. Rev. ii. 10. 
XXV. 

469. Does the Holy Ghost give the benefits of salvation to 
you alone ? 

Not to me alone, but to the whole Christian 
Church on earth. 

470. Why do you say " on earth? " 

The Christian Church in heaven has received 
all the good gifts of this Order of Salvation, 
and no longer is in need of them. 

471. And what, according to the Catiechism, does He do for 

the whole Christian Church on earth ? 

i. He calls her; 

2. He gathers her; 

3. He enlightens her; 

4. He sanctifies her ; 

5. He preserves her. 

472. In union with whom does He preserve the Church? 

In union with Jesus Christ. 

473. And wherein does He preserve the Church? 

In the one true faith. 

474. In speaking of each of us, there is nothing said 
of "Gathering," but of the Church is said, "He 
gathers." Why is this? 

Just as you would not speak of gathering 



114 ujther's smali* catechism. 

when you were bringing home single heads of 
wheat, but you gather many thousands of 
heads, so we say of the whole Christian Church, 
but not of separate souls, that He gathers them. 

475. Ought not the Gathering be mentioned after the 
Enlightening, for must not one be enlightened be- 
fore he can really belong to the Church ? 

Not only are the children gathered in Holy 
Baptism before they understand, but even 
grown people receive most of their Christian 
knowledge in the Church. The Church never 
waits for the perfect light before receiving un- 
believers into her bosom. She gathers those 
who obey the call, in order that she may en- 
lighten them. 

476. The Holy Ghost is said to preserve the Church in union 
with Jesus Christ. Where is Jesus Christ ? 

Christ is wherever His Word is preached ; 
and wherever any one through His grace be- 
lieves His Word, there He makes His abode. 
Matt, xxviii. 18-20; John xiv. 23. 

477. How then can we be assured that we abide in union 
with Christ and are preserved in union with Him ? 

When through His grace we believe His 
holy Word, and abide in this faith until our end. 

478. You say, He has sanctified me in the true faith ; 
of the Christian Church you say, He preserves her 
in the one true faith. Why do you use that word 
"One," in speaking of the Church? 

It is clear without saying it, that I have but 
one faith. But it is worth saying and giving 
thanks for it, that the Holy Ghost brings so 
many men as are in the Christian Church to 
one faith and preserves them in the same. 



THE CREED. 115 

479. And why does the Holy Ghost bring men to one 
faith ? 

Just as there is only one Lord and God, and 
only one body, one Church, so there is only 
one true faith, and that faith only has the as- 
surance of everlasting life. Eph. iv. 4-6. 

480. What does the Holy Ghost do for you in this Christian 
fellowship ? 

He forgives my sins. 

481. Yours only ? 

No. And the sins of all believers. 

482. Why do you say, Of all believers ? 

Because the forgiveness of sins can be re- 
ceived only in faith. 

483. How much sin does the Holy Ghost forgive you ? 

All sins ; original sin and actual sins, sins of 
omission and sins of commission, old sins and 
new sins. 

484. How often does He forgive you your sins ? 

Daily. 

485. And in what measure does He forgive all your sins? 

Richly.* 

486. Through whom does He forgive you ? 

Through the word and ministry of reconcili- 
ation, 2 Cor. iii. 6; v. 18, 19; through His 
servants to whom He committed the Word and 
Ministry of reconciliation and of the keys, 

* "'Daily, Richly," so does He care for our bodies in the First 
Article. Daily, richly, so does He provide spiritual food for the 
soul. My body and my soul rejoice in the giving God. 



Il6 XUTHER'S SMALL CATKCHISM. 

through whom He offers to His people calling, 
enlightenment, sanctification, and all spiritual 
blessings in this order. 

487. Why do you say, " In which Christian Church," He 
daily richly forgives all my sins ? 

Because out of the Christian Church there is 
no forgiveness and no salvation. 

488. What will the Holy Ghost do at the last day ? 

He will raise up me and all the dead. 

489. Will not God the Son raise up the dead ? 

Yes. Like the Father raises up the dead, so 
does the Son, and so does the Holy Ghost. 
The Father wills ; the Son speaks ; the Holy 
Ghost performs. The resurrection is the one 
work of the Triune God. Rom. viii. 11 ; Ez. 
xxxvii. 5, 9, 14. 

490. And when will this be done ? 

At the last day. 

What is meant by "the last day?" 

491. Will there be a last day ? 

The mockers say, "Where is the promise of 
His coming ? But the Lord is not slack con- 
cerning His promise, as some men count slack- 
ness ; but is longsuffering to usward, not will- 
ing that any should perish, but that all should 
come to repentance." 2 Pet. iii. 5-9. 

492. When will the last day come ? 

"One day is with the Lord as a thousand 
years, and a thousand years are as one day." 



THK CREED. 117 

The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the 
night, unexpected, suddenly. 2 Pet. iii. 8, 10. 

493. What conduct then befits Christians ? 

Watch, says the Lord, for ye know neither 
the day nor the hour when the Son of man 
cometh. Matt. xxiv. 42. We should eagerly 
expect and hasten unto the coming of the day 
of the Lord, in which the heavens shall be 
consumed with fire, and the elements shall 
melt with fervent heat. 2 Pet. iii. 12. 

494. "Will only believers be raised from the dead ? 

No. The Holy Ghost will raise up all the 
dead. 

495. "What will believers receive from the Holy Ghost at and 
after the resurrection ? 

He will grant me and all believers in Christ 
everlasting life, 

496. And what will be the lot of those who die in unbelief ? 

They will receive eternal death. 

497. Is there any likelihood that sometime there will 
be an end to eternal death ? 

No. Rev. xiv. 11; xx. 10, speaks of tor- 
ment that continues forever and ever. 

4g8. Why is not this spoken of in the Third Article ? 

Because it tells only the good gifts of the 
Holy Ghost, which His Church receives in 
this world and shall receive hereafter. 

49g. And how do we seal all that the Third Article and its 
Explanation say ? 

With a faithful Amen. This is most cer- 
tainly true. 



Il8 LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM. 

XXVI. 

Justification b£ JFaitb Slone. 

Although the term Justification is not found in Luther's Cate- 
chism, justification itself is found in every part of it. Whoever 
believes and has what the Articles of the Creed, and the Parts 
concerning Baptism, the Keys, and the Lord's Supper say, has 
enough ; he is justified from his sins. But here, in praise and 
honor of the one true faith, of which the Explanation of the 
Third Article of the Creed has spoken, we wish to speak a little 
of the process of Justification of a poor sinner before God ; and 
let the scholar mark it well. 

It is a process, a trial in Heaven. 

God is the Judge. 

The accuser is our adversary, the devil. 

The culprit is man. 

The accusation is true ; the conscience of the accused witnesses 
against him, and so does the Spirit, who searcheth all things. 

The guilt is great. 

The punishment is endless. 

The Law is from Sinai. 

The sentence is ready. 

Then comes the Lamb of God, our High Priest and Advocate, 
with the Blood that speaketh better things than the blood of 
Abel. On behalf of the miserable, lost and condemned criminal, 
He urges His suffering and death in his place, His perfect merit 
and victory over all our enemies. What an advocacy ! The poor 
sinner near to death embraces His feet, in fullest trust, and full 
of penitence and sorrow. 

Then comes a voice from the Holy of Holies : Tear down the 
indictment. The guilty man is acquitted for Jesus' sake from 
all guilt and punishment; he is justified, and without price the 
righteousness of Christ is accounted his. 

And what is done in heaven, on earth is proclaimed from pul- 
pit and altar and in private absolution. It is forgiveness on 
earth as it is in heaven. 

Now the poor sinner has all he needs. 

Now, being justified by faith, he has peace with God (Rom. y. 
i), and joy (Luke xv. 22, 24), and the joy of the Lord is his 
strength (Neh. viii. 10). 



QUESTIONS INTRODUCTORY 
TO THE LAST FOUR PARTS, 



XXVII. 

500. Of what do the last four Parts of the Catechism treat ? 

Of Means of Grace. 

501. Of what Means of Grace ? 

i. Of the Mea,7is of Grace through which 
God offers Grace to us, and seals it. 

2. Of the means by which man seeks and 
grasps the Grace which God offers to him. 

Remark. Just as a beggar can get the gift offered him only by 
stretching out his hand to take it, and the giver puts out his 
hand to give it, so God's gifts are given and taken. 

502. What is the means by which we seek and take Grace ? 

Believing prayer, of which Part III. treats. 

503. And what are the divine means of Grace, by which God 
gives it ? 

The Word and the Sacraments. 

504. "Which Parts of the Catechism treat of the Sacraments 
especially ? 

The Fourth and the Sixth. 

505. And what does the Fifth Part treat of? 

The Word of God, the Absolution, or the 
Gospel of the forgiveness of sins. 

(119) 






QUESTIONS 
INTRODUCTORY TO PART III. 



506. What is the special subject of this part ? 

Prayer. 

507. Does it teach us about prayer in general, or does it by 
an example of prayer show us how we ought to pray ? 

It shows us in the model pra} r er, how we 
ought to pray, and what we ought to pray for. 

508. What is that model prayer ? 

The Lord's Prayer. 

509. Why is it called "the Lord's Prayer ?" 

Because the Lord Himself taught it to His 
disciples. 

510. Did they ask Him to do so ? 

One of His disciples said to Him, Lord, teach 
us to pray, as John also taught his disciples. 
Luke ii. 2. 

511. What did the Lord answer ? 

He said to them, When ye pray, say, Our 
Father, etc. , and taught them the prayer. 

512. Did the disciples use this Prayer after they had it ? 

Undoubtedly they did ; and not they alone, 
but for more than 1800 years it has gone up to 

(120) 



INTRODUCTORY TO PART III. 121 

God from the lips of many thousands every hour 
of every day. It is the first prayer of Christen- 
dom, in the sound of which all the history of 
the world goes on, that never has been ex- 
hausted and never can be, and of which the 
oftener a man prays it the less tired is he. 

513. How may we divide the Lord's Prayer ? 

The Introduction, the Seven Petitions, and 
the Conclusion. 

514. What is the Introduction ? 

An address to God, such as must precede 
every prayer, though sometimes it may not be 
spoken. Ps. v. 1. 

515. How may the Petitions be divided ? 

Into prayers and supplications. 

516. Who has taught us to make such distinctions ? 

St. Paul, i Tim. ii. 1, admonishes us to 
make prayers, supplications, intercessions and 
giving of thanks for all men. 

517. What do you mean by the distinction ? 

In one case we pray against an evil, in the 
other we ask a benefit. 

518. In how many Petitions of the Lord's Prayer do you ask 
benefits ? 

In the first four. 

519. What do you ask for in the first Petition ? 

That God's Name be hallowed. 



122 I.UTHER S SMAIX CATECHISM. 

530. In the Second ? 

For the coming of His Kingdom. 

521. In the Third ? 

For the fulfilment of God's will. 

522. In the Fourth? 

For daily bread. 

523. In which petitions of the Lord's Prayer do we pray 
against evil ? 

In the last three. 

524. What do you pray against in the Fifth Petition ? 

Against the guilt of past sin. 

525. And in the Sixth ? 

Against temptation to further sin. 

526. And in the Seventh ? 

Against all consequences of sin, all evil. 

527. How can you sum up the Seven Petitions ? 

Six petitions urge the greatest need of the 
soul, the first three the greatest benefits of 
heaven, the last three deprecate the greatest 
calamities, viz. : sin and all its consequences. 
And between these two sets of petitions is one 
which asks the supply of the daily wants of 
our bodies, our daily bread. 

528. Are there any intercessions in the Lord's Prayer ? 

All the petitions are intercessions, because 
in each every one prays for all. 



INTRODUCTORY TO PART III. 1 23 

529. What is understood as " the Conclusion" of the Lord's 
Prayer ? 

According to the Catechism, the Amen. 

530. But is not another Conclusion often understood ? 

Yes, the Doxology which is appended to the 
seven petitions, Matt. vi. 13, For Thine is the 
Kingdom, etc. 



QUESTIONS ON PART III; 



XXVIII. 

531. Repeat the Introduction to the Lord's Prayer ? 

Our Father, which art in Heaven. 

532. How do we address God in the Lord's Prayer ? 

As our Father. 

533. Why is the Triune God called, in the Lord's Prayer, 
Father ? 

Because those who thus call upon Him are 
to be His children. 

534. Is it not in the sense in which God is called 
Father in the Creed ? 

No. There we confess by the name Father 
the First Person of the Godhead, in distinction 
from the Second, the Onlybegotten Son of the 
Father, Jesus Christ. But in the Lord's 
Prayer we do not distinguish between the Per- 
sons of the Godhead, but we call the Triune 
God Father, because in Christ Jesus He is our 
Father. 

* Instruction in Part III. becomes difficult, if it be looked on 
only as matter for teaching. All that we should do is, to help 
the scholars a little, where the3^ do not understand, and for the 
rest to let the glorious explanation of Luther have way. While 
not affording material for diffuse lectures, this Part is adapted 
to frequent repetition. 

(124) 



THE LORD'S PRAYER. 125 

535. Where is our Father ? 

In Heaven. 

536. But is He not present everywhere, and not in Heaven 
only ? 

He is everywhere present on earth, and so 
we confess in the Creed. But Heaven is His 
sanctuary and the place of manifestation of 
His glory, where we shall see Him face to 
face. Thither our hope turns ; thither the 
Lord Himself turns our hearts and thoughts in 
the Lord's Prayer ; and we look up and long 
and gladly pray, Our Father which art in 
Heaven. 

537. But what is God's object in teaching us to pray thus ? 

He wishes to invite us to believe, who by 
nature neither believe nor trust. 

538. And what does He invite us to ? 

To believe that He is truly our Father, and 
we are truly His children. 

53g. But is He truly our Father, and are we truly His chil- 
dren ? 

Are we not born of His Spirit ? Are we not 
called by His Name (Is. lxiii. 16)? He is the 
Father of whom the w^hole family in heaven 
and earth is named. (Eph. iii. 15.) 

540. And what ought we do, inasmuch as He is truly our 
Father, and we are truly His children ? 

Ask. of Him. 

541. And how ought we ask of Him ? 

With all cheerfulness and confidence. 



126 ujther's small catechism. 

542. What do you mean by " with all cheerfulness? 4 ' 

Without fear or wavering. 

543. And what, by "with all confidence ?" 

That we be certain He will hear us, and not 
doubt at all. 

544. Tell me with what words does the Catechism briefly and 
well tell how we ought to ask of God ? 

As dear children ask of their father. 



545. What do we ask for in the First Petition ? 

That His Name be hallowed. 

546 And what Name should be hallowed before every other? 

His Name Father, by which we address Him 
in the prayer Jesus taught us. 

547. And what do you mean by hallowing His Name? 

To keep it in our hearts apart from every 
other name, as the Name of the Most High, 
\ ' to hold it holy and glorious as our noblest 
treasure and holiest possession," as the Large 
Catechism says. 

548. But is not God's Name holy in itself; does it not be- 
long to God, and in that very fact is it not separated from all 
other names and made holy and glorious ? 

Yes, God's Name is holy in itself. 

549. What then do we pray for in the First Petition ? 

That it may be hallowed also among us; 
that by us also it may be exalted and honored 
above every name. 

550. How is this done ? 

In two ways. 



THE LORD'S SUPPKR. 127 

551. What is the one ? 

When the Word of God is taught in its truth 
and purity. 

552. And the second ? 

And we, as the children of God, lead holy 
lives, in accordance with it. 

553. And with what words does the holy Church pray for 
these two things in the Catechism ? 

This grant us, dear Father in heaven. 

554. Why does the Church say this so earnestly ? 

Because it is impossible for a Christian to 
teach God's Word in its truth and purity, 
without mixture, or addition, without the help 
of God — nor will he be able never to forget, 
but everywhere to show, that he is a child of 
God and therefore holy as his heavenly Father 
is holy, unless God help him thereto. 

555. And how, on the other hand, is the Name of God pro- 
faned ? 

In two ways. 

What is meant by " profaning the Name of God " ? 

556. What ways ? 

First, when any one teaches otherwise, and 
Secondly, when any one lives otherwise, than 
God's Word teaches. 

557. For what does the Church of God pray therefore in the 
Catechism ? 

From this, z. e. from this profanation, pre- 
serve us, heavenly Father. 

Remark.— I^uther cannot forget in his Catechism that this 



123 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

prayer begins, Our Father. Twice in the Explanation of the 
First Petition he names the Name, and calls upon it, while he calls 
us children of God. And in the second, fift It and seventh Peti- 
tions, and in the Explanation of the Amen, he mentions the 
lovely Name. And how like one, who had again become a 
child of God, the whole Explanation is ! 

XXIX. 

558. What do we pray for in the Second Petition ? 

That God's Kingdom come. 

559. Where is God's Kingdom ? 

In Heaven. There is Jerusalem, the free, 
the Mother of us all. 

560. Wherein does the Kingdom of God consist? 

In that everything is arranged under One 
Head, is inspired by the Spirit of the Head, 
and with one heart and voice worships and 
serves the Triune God. 

561. Whither shall this Kingdom come ? 

It shall come down from Heaven to earth, 
that men also may be united under Christ, 
their Head in Heaven, and in one spirit, with 
one heart and voice, with the Church in 
Heaven, may praise and serve the Triune God. 

562. Will all men be brought together to the Kingdom 
of Christ ? 

No. There will indeed be one flock and one 
Shepherd, but only a part of mankind will be 
gathered into the one flock ; the others will not 
be God's flock, but will be scattered, and will 
wander away from Him forever. 



THE LORD'S PRAYER. 129 

563. But will the Kingdom of God really come on earth ? 

Yes. Its beginning is here already, wher- 
ever the Church of Christ is, and it will always 
continue to come, for God has undertaken it 
(Ps. lxxii. 8, 11, 17, etc.), and no one can hin- 
der His works. God's kingdom comes indeed 
of itself without our prayer. 

564. Why should we pray " Thy Kingdom come," if it comes 
of itself without our prayer? 

Not merely because God wishes us to ask for 
what He has promised, but we are especially 
concerned lest God's kingdom pass us by, as it 
passes by many. We pray in this petition 
that it may come also to us. 

565. What then is the meaning of "Thy Kingdom come ?" 

Come to us ; stir up and increase Thy King- 
dom, Thy Church, Thy people; spread it;* let 
it grow both inwardly and outwardly ; let it 
ever become more Thine own, Thy Kingdom — 
subject and devoted to Thee — and forget not us 
who pray to Thee, and let us not be omitted 
from the number of those who are Thine. 

566. How does God's kingdom come to us ? 

Before all, when our heavenly Father gives 
us His Holy Spirit. " 

567. Why do we need His Holy Spirit ? 

That by His grace we believe His holy 
Word. 

"Here we pray for Israel and for the heathen. I^et us never 
forget it 



130 iajther's smau, catechism. 

568. And for what else ? 

That we may live godly here in time and in 
heaven forever. 

569. But does all this result from the gift of the Holy Spirit ? 

Yes, where the Holy Ghost is, 

There is Grace, for He is given to us out 
of grace alone ; 

God's Word, for He comes to us in the 
Word; 

Faith, for from the Word comes faith, and 
through the Word the Holy Ghost begets it ; 

A holy life, for newness of life comes forth 
from the Word and faith ; 

And when this once begins, it never ends, 
but according to God's will it lasts here on 
earth and in heaven forever. 

XXX. 

570. What do we ask for in the Third Petition ?. 

That God's will be done. 

571. Where ? 

On earth. 

572. How ? 

As it is done in Heaven. 

573. By whom is God's will done in Heaven? 

By the angels and the elect. 

574. Wherein does the will of God consist ? 

In the fulfilment of the first two Petitions, in 
the hallowing of His Name and the coming of 
His Kingdom. 



THB LORD'S PRAYER. 131 

575. How does the Catechism describe God's will? 

As His good and gracious will. 

576. Why is God's will called " good " ? 

Because it intends nothing more than the 
hallowing of His Most High Name, and every- 
thing is good that serves that end, and on the 
other hand nothing is good that does not serve 
it. 

577. Why is it called " gracious " ? 

Because all God's grace is found in His 
Kingdom and its coming, and His will intends 
nothing else than that the Kingdom of all 
grace should come to us. 

578. Cannot this good and gracious will of God be done with- 
out our praying for it ? 

O yes, it is done indeed without our prayer. 

579. For what do we pray in this prayer, then ? 

That it may be done also among us. 

580. When is God's will done ? 

When God breaks and hinders every evil 
counsel and purpose. 

581. What counsel and purpose are evil ? 

Such as would not let us hallow God's Name 
nor let His Kingdom come. 

582. Whose will is of such a sort ? 

The will of the devil, the world, and our 
own flesh. 

583. What do you mean by the world ? 

All men who do not with the Church hallow 



132 LUTHER'S SMALL CATKCHISM. 

the Name of God and strive for the perfect 
coming of His Kingdom. 

584. And what do you mean by the will of the flesh ? 

The natural will of the unconverted, which 
has no pleasure in God and His will. 

585. "What do we ask God to do to this will ? 

Break and hinder it. 

586. How can God break it ? 

When He does not let it be done. 

587. When does He hinder it? 

When He does not let it be attempted. 

588. But what if, as often happens, the evil will continues? 

We pray that God will strengthen and keep 
us. 

589. What strength and keeping do we need in that case? 

That we be kept steadfast in His Word and 
faith, that we may overcome the world, the 
flesh and the devil. 

590 But, alas, we are variable, and easily fall from His Word 
and the faith ? 

We therefore pray that He will strengthen 
and keep us steadfast in His Word and faith. 

591. Have we not reason to fear that if we live a long while 
we may ultimately fall from the comfort of the true faith ? 

Therefore we pray that He will strengthen 
and keep us steadfast unto our end, for until 
then we cannot be quite secure of our victory. 



THE LORD'S PRAYER. 133 

592. Have we good reason to believe that we are heard ? 

Yes, for he does not wish His Name to be 
hallowed for only a short time, and that His 
Kingdom should come for only a little while ; 
but until the end and forever He wishes to 
keep us in the hallowing of His Name and in 
His Kingdom. 

593. "With what words does the Catechism confirm this ? 

This is His gracious and good will. 
XXXI. 

594. What do we pray for in the Fourth Petition ? 

For our daily bread. 

595. "Why is it called our daily bread ? 

Because it is given to us every day anew, 
and is given to supply the need of every day. 

596. Why do we say, Give us " this day" our daily bread ? 

The meaning is, that we should expect and 
ask the supply of every day's need on the day 
itself. 

597. And why ? 

Because we do not need it before, and do not 
know whether we will need it any longer than 
to-day. 

598. Are we not permitted then to ask for daily bread 
for more than to-day ? 

Yes, but not with the confidence of the 
Fourth Petition, which the Lord Himself 
teaches us to say, and which we may confi- 
dently and joyously believe will be heard. 



134 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

599. But does not God give to every one his daily bread, 
witnout our asking ? 

He does. God gives daily bread without 
our prayer even to all the wicked,* Matt. v. 44. 
All, both good and bad, stand in the benefits 
of His common love. 

600. Why do we pray then ? 

We ask in this petition that He will lead us 
to acknowledge our daily bread, for they who 
pray for it more easily acknowledge it. 

601. As what are we to acknowledge our daily bread ? 

We are to acknowledge it to be His gift, for 
which we ought to pray, that we may not take 
it as rude and godless persons take it from 
their parents, as if they were compelled to give 
it. 

602. For what else do we pray ? 

That we may receive our daily bread with 
thanksgiving, for those who ask for it think it 
worthy of thanks. 

603. Is it not enough to acknowledge that our daily bread is 
God's gift ? 

No, we should with thanksgiving confess 
that it is God's gift. 

604. What is meant by " daily bread ?" 

All that belongs to the wants and support of 
the body, as the Catechism shows in detail, 

*In the first four Petitions care is taken to show that all does 
not depend on our prayer. We pray for our own sake only, that 
we may not neglect God's good gift, but may receive it aright. 
To the humility of the high Giver should answer the prayerful 
humility of the poor recipient. 



THK LORD'S PRAYER. 135 

thereby agreeing with the explanation of the 
First Article of the Creed. 

605. Does everybody have all that the Catechism mentions ? 

No indeed. 

606. Why is it all mentioned then? 

Not merely that we may know all we pray 
and give thanks for in the Fourth Petition, but 
also that every one, whether he have much or 
little, may know that it is God's gift and his 
daily bread, and may give thanks for it. 

607. What do we ask for in the Fifth Petition ? 

For the remission or forgiveness of our sins. 

608. And in what measure do we ask to be forgiven ? 

As we forgive those who trespass against us. 

609. Can we forgive ? 

Yes, those who can truly say "Our Father/' 
are God's children, are strengthened by their 
Father's Spirit, and are fitted for every good 
work, even to forgive. 

610. Do we not in these words, " As we forgive those 
who trespass against us," offer God a price for for- 
giving us ? 

No child of God thinks that. In the Fifth 
Petition we pray for the stream of His heav- 
enly forgiveness, and then we will let the 
thankful rivulets of this stream trickle upon our 
enemies. We are speaking not of a price of- 
fered for His forgiveness, but of a poor thank- 
offering of our hearts for the abundant forgive- 
ness of God. Christians gladly forgive to the 



136 ujther's smau, catechism. 

praise of our Merciful Father, but they always 
need anew the forgiveness of their own hearts. 
To let God forgive us and to forgive belong to- 
gether.* 

611. What do we pray for in the Fifth Petition ? 

That our Father in heaven will not look 
upon our sins. 

612. What would be the result if He were to look upon our 
sins? 

He would on account of them deny our 
prayer. 

613. And why is our sin so great ? and our prayer so weak ? 

Because through inborn sin we have lost all 
worth ; we deserve nothing that we ask for ; 
we sin much every day, and deserve nothing 
but punishment. 

614. On what can we depend in our prayers, then ? 

On grace alone : that He will grant us all 
through grace. 

615. But if God forgives our sins, and graciously hears our 
prayer, what does the Explanation, as well as the Fifth Peti- 
tion, teach us to do ? 

To imitate the mercy of the Lord, and thank- 
fully forgive. 

616. And how are we to forgive? 

From our hearts. 

*If we can forgive, and do forgive, this is a proof that we are 
His, and that His Spirit has not forsaken us. This gives us con- 
fidence to come to God and ask Him again and again to forgive 
our daity sins of weakness. (See the Large Catechism, towards 
the end of the Fifth Petition.) 



THE lord's praykr. 137 

617. Is a hearty forgiveness a forgiveness in word alone ? 

No, we will heartily forgive and readily do 
good, to show indeed that we forgive. 

618. Whom will we forgive ? 

Those who trespass against us. 

Remark.— Very often a man injures his neighbor, and is angry 
against him, as if his neighbor were at fault. In such a case he 
owes not forgiveness, but an apology. This must be borne in 
mind. 

XXXII. 

619. What do we ask for in the Sixth Petition ? 

That God will not lead us into temptation. 

What is it, to tempt ? What is temptation? 

620. Does God tempt ? 

God tempts no one. 

631. But did He not, for instance, tempt Abraham to offer up 
Isaac ? 

Yes, but He tempted him to good, to a great 
proof of obedience, and not more than he was 
able to bear, as is evident. But in the Sixth 
Petition we speak of temptation to sin. And 
of this it is true, God tempts no one. James i. 
13. 

622. Why do we say, Lead us not into temptation, if He 
tempts no one ? 

Though He tempts us not, He could bring 
and abandon us to temptation of the devil, of 
the world, or of our own flesh. 

What do you mean by " Flesh ?" 

623. Have any reason to fear this ? 

God might in wrath and just judgment 



138 luthkr's small catechism. 

threaten us with it for our sins. 1 Kings xxii. 
2off. ; 1 Chron. xxii. 1 ; L,uke xxii. 32f. 

624. What do we pray for then ? 

That He would guard us from the tempta- 
tion of others, or keep us when it comes. 

625. But since we know who our tempters are, namely the 
devil, the world, and our flesh, ought we not be able easily to 
avoid and escape from their temptation ? 

It is not so easy. For they deceive us ; they 
disguise themselves ; they make the evil they 
tempt us with seem good. 

626. What will happen if we do not watch ? 

They will lead us away from the even path 
of the Holy Spirit to bad ways. 

627. And what will the end be ? 

Misbelief, despair, and other shameful sin 
and vice. 

What is Unbelief? What is Misbelief? What is 
Despair ? 

628. But since we are weak, and do not watch and pray as 
we ought, we certainly will be tempted often and sorely. 
What do we pray for accordingly ? 

We pray that though we be thus tempted, 
we may still in the end overcome, and have the 
victory. 

629. What do we ask for in the Seventh Petition ? 

Deliverance from all evil. 

630. What is this Petition called in the Explanation of it ? 

The sum of all ; that is, it contains all the 
petitions. We are heard and blessed in all re- 
spects, when we are heard in this petition. 



THE LORD'S PRAYER. 139 

631. How many kinds of evil are mentioned in the Explana- 
tion ? 

Of body and soul, property and honor. 

632. When is this Petition especially necessary ? 

When the hour of death shall come. 

633. And why is that hour so serious ? 

Because in it we can once for all be freed 
from all evil, but as easily can be cast into the 
greatest of all evils, eternal death. 

634. What more do we pray for at that hour ? 

That our Father in heaven will grant us a 
blessed end, and graciously take us from this 
vale of sorrow to Himself in Heaven. 

635. What is meant by an " End ?" 

The end of this temporal life in this vale of 
sorrow. 

636. And what is "this vale of sorrow?" 

This sorrowful world. 

637. What is the conclusion of the Lord's Prayer? 

Amen. * 

638. How does the Catechism explain this ? 

Amen, Amen, that is, Yea, Yea ; it shall be 
so. 

639. What does this word of two syllables express ? 

It expresses the certainty that such peti- 

*To whom does Amen belong in the Church, to the Minister 
or the Congregation ? According to 1 Cor. xiv. 16, evidently to 
the Congregation. Compare Neh. viii. 6. 



140 ujther's smau, catechism. 

tions are acceptable to our Father in Heaven 
and are heard by Him. 

640. On what is the certainty that our prayer is acceptable to 
God, grounded ? 

On the fact that God has bidden us pray 
thus. He cannot bid us do what is not accept- 
able to Him. 

641. And what is the ground of the certainty that He hears 
us ? 

He Himself has promised to hear. 



QUESTIONS 
INTRODUCTORY TO PART IV. 



XXXIII. 

642. What is the subject of Part IV. ? 

The Sacrament of Holy Baptism. 

643. What is a Sacrament? 

A holy transaction, instituted by God, in 
which heavenly gifts are imparted through 
earthly signs, bringing the grace of the Gos- 
pel, /. e. the forgiveness of sins. 

644. How many Sacraments are there ? 

Two, Baptism and the Holy Supper. 

645 Does not the Roman Church teach that there are seven 
Sacraments ? 

Yes, Baptism, Confirmation, Penitence, the 
Mass, Marriage, Ordination and Extreme Unc- 
tion. 

646. Why then does the Lutheran Church acknowledge only 
two Sacraments ? 

Because the other five are not Sacraments in 
the sense in which Baptism and the Holy Sup- 
per are. 

(i4t) 



142 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

647. And why not ? 

Because they lack either the Divine com- 
mand, or the earthly sign, or the heavenly gift, 
especially the gift of the forgiveness of sins, or 
several of these, or all. 

648. In what sense could some of these be called Sacra- 
ments > 

In so far as they are holy acts commanded 
by God. But then there would be more than 
seven Sacraments. 

649. What is Confirmation ? 

A renewal and establishment of our bap- 
tismal covenant. 

650. What marks of a Sacrament are wanting in Confirma- 
tion ? 

All. It has not the Divine command, nor 
an earthly sign, nor the promise of a heavenly 
gift. 

651. Ought we not reject it then ? 

No. It is a beautiful and suitable ordinance 
of the Church from the beginning, which can 
bring a rich blessing through the Word of 
God used with it. Acts viii. 14-17. 

652. What is understood by the Sacrament of Penitence ? 

The Absolution. 

653. What is the Absolution ? 

The Impartation of the Forgiveness of Sins. 

654. What mark of a Sacrament does it lack ? 

It has the Divine command and the heavenly 
gift, but not the earthly sign. 



BAPTISM. 143 

655. But is not the laying on of hands an earthly sign ? 

No, this is only a significant gesture or act, 
which confirms the words of blessing. 

656. What more can be said of the Absolution ? 

It is most like the real Sacraments. (See 
Apology, 173). 

657. Was it really instituted by God? 

Yes. The Lord not only commanded that the 
Gospel should be preached to every creature, 
but He breathed upon His disciples and said to 
them, Receive the Holy Ghost. Whosesoever sins 
ye remit, they are remitted to them; and whose- 
soever sins ye retain, they are retained. John xx. 
22, 23. 

658. Why do you not call Marriage a Sacrament ? 

It has the Divine institution, though it does 
not belong especially to the New Testament, 
but it has not an earthly sign nor a heavenly 
gift. Gen. ii. 22ff. 

659. What does Ordination lack ? 

Though based on Holy Scripture (1 Tim. v. 
22), and rich in blessing, it has not an especial 
outward sign nor the promise of the forgiveness 
of sins. 

660. And what is wanting to Extreme Unction, to make it a 
Sacrament ? 

Everything. 

661. But does not St. James speak of it, James v. 14? 

No ; he speaks of an anointing with oil, 
but not of an anointing for death, nor of an 



144 LUTHER'S SMALL CATKCHISM. 

anointing that would impart a heavenly gift, 
but of the application of oil for the cure of the 
sick. 

662. Have Baptism and the Holy Supper the requisite 
marks ? 

Yes. With them we compare all the rest. 
XXXIV. 

663. What is the meaning of Baptize ? 

The Greek word from which our word Bap- 
tize is derived, means to wash. 

664. Did they not at first dip under the water those who 
were being baptized ? 

Yes ; but from the beginning those who were 
weak or sick were sprinkled with water ; and 
for many reasons, especially in a more rigorous 
climate, the former custom was given up. Not 
the quantity, but the use, of water is com- 
manded. 

665. Answer me now from the Catechism. What is Bap- 
tism ? 

Water. 

666. Is it water only ? 

It is not simply water. 

667. What water is it ? 

The water comprehended in God's command. 

668. What does that mean ? 

God has commanded us to take it. 

669. Is it only comprehended in God's command ? 

It is connected with God's Word. 



BAPTISM. I45 

670. Say for me the command of God, in which the water of 
Baptism is comprehended ? 

Go ye and teach all nations, baptizing them 
in the Name of the Father and of the Son and 
of the Holy Ghost. Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. 

671. Tell me the Word of God with which Baptism is con- 
nected ? 

The vSame words : I baptize thee in the Name 
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy 
Ghost. 

672. What does " In the Name of" mean ? 

By command of, 
In the place of, 

In confession and invocation of, the Triune 
God. 

673. Can we baptize in God's Name, then, only when He 
commands it? 

Certainly. We cannot do anything in the 
name of an earthly king, unless he has com- 
manded it. 

674. And must we confess and call upon God, if we would 
baptize in His Name ? 

Yes. For how could a man know that he 
was baptized in God's Name, if His Name 
were not mentioned, or confessed, or called 
upon ? 

675. But what is the most comfortable part of Baptism in 
God's Name? 

That it is done in His stead, and therefore is 
as valid and effectual as if the Triune God were 
seen and heard doing it. (Tit. iii. 5-8 ; Eph. 
v. 26.) 



146 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

676. Who has been commanded to baptize in the Name of 
God? 

The disciples of Christ and the called stew- 
ards of the mysteries of God, to whom is com- 
mitted the flock of Christ. 1 Cor. iv. 1 ; 1 Pet. 
v. 2. 

677. But in a case of necessity may not another Christian 
baptize ? 

Yes, but only in a case of necessity. 

678. Is it then permitted ? 

Yes, because all believers are a royal priest- 
hood, and therefore in such an exigency have 
an equal qualification. 1 Pet. ii. 9. 

679. Why then may they not baptize in any case ? 

According to the ordinance of Christ the call 
and the office are necessary to administer the 
Sacrament of Baptism. 1 Cor. iv. 1. 

XXXV. 

680. Should not every one be taught first, then baptized, in- 
asmuch as this is the order of the words in the command ? 

All who are old enough, certainly should be 
taught to wish for Baptism for themselves. 
But even the Apostles did not require a long 
previous instruction of adults, and the words 
of our Lord in Matt, xxviii., rightly under- 
stood, do not require such previous instruction. 

681. What do those words command ? 

They bid the Apostles make disciples of all 
peoples, baptizing and teaching them. 



BAPTISM. I47 

682. Why are children baptized before they can wish it or 
can come to it with a resolution of their own ? 

Because they also need Baptism (John iii. 5), 
and the L,ord blessed them and promised them 
the Kingdom of Heaven, Mark x. If without 
instruction or a resolution of their own they can 
receive the kingdom of Heaven, why can they 
not in the same condition receive Baptism, and 
through it as a door enter into the kingdom 
of Heaven ? 

683. But if they have the kingdom, why do they need any- 
thing more ? 

The IyOrd does not say that the kingdom be- 
longs to all children, but to such. 

684. Are our baptized children such ? 

Yes, for the Lord Himself is at their Bap- 
tism as He promised to be (Matt, xxviii. 19, 
20) ; to Him we bring the children in prayer j* 
and He receives and blesses them in His Bap- 
tism. 

685. "What is the blessing given in Holy Baptism ; of what 
use is it ? 

It works forgiveness of sins. 

686. And what more? 

It delivers from death and the devil. 

687. And thirdly ? 

It gives everlasting salvation. 

*In the public prayers the Church prays for the children, even 
for the unborn, so that Mark x. i3ff., may comfort parents, even 
if their children die in their birth. 



148 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

688. To whom does it give everlasting salvation ? 

To all who believe. 

68g. To all who believe what ? 

That it gives all this. 

690. But what right have you to say it gives this to those 
who believe ? 

Because the words and promises of God de- 
clare it. 

691. What words ? 

Those which Christ our Lord says in the last 
chapter of Mark : He that believeth and is bap- 
tized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not, 
shall be damned. 

692. But the children do not believe ? 

If that were so, they would not please Christ. 

693. Why ? 

Because without faith it is impossible to 
please God. Heb. xi. 6. 

694. But how can they receive faith ? 

He who promises the Kingdom of Heaven, 
gives faith to them, though in wonderful ways. 

695. How do we know this ? 

For instance, St. John Baptist even in his 
mother's womb was filled with the Holy Ghost 
and rejoiced in his Saviour. Luke ii. 41, 44. 

696. But how can so much be ascribed to Baptism ? Does 
not Christ do it all ? 

Yes, through Baptism. 



BAPTISM. 149 

697. It is clear from Mark xvi. 16. that Baptism works the 
salvation of believers. But it says nothing about deliverance 
from death and the devil, and the forgiveness of sins ? 

One cannot be saved without the forgiveness 
of sins and deliverance from death and the 
devil. Acts ii. 38, 39; xxii. 16; 1 Cor. vi. 11. 

XXXVI. 

698. How can water do such great things ? 

Water cannot do them. 

699 What does them ? 

The word of God. 

700. What Word of God ? 

That which accompanies and is connected 
with the water. 

701. What Word of God is connected with the water ? 

The words of institution, used and repeated 
in Baptism, and the promise from Mark xvi. 16. 

702. What do we mean when we say the Word of God is 
with the water ? 

It helps the water to reach the end for which 
it is used. 

703. Does the Word of God do such great things in all who 
are baptized ? 

No, only in those who believe. 

704. What does the Catechism say ? 

The Word of God does it, and faith. 

705. What faith is here meant ? 

That which relies on the Word of God which 
is in and with the water, that is, which gives 



150 LUTHER'S SMAIj, CATECHISM. 

restful assurance that all that God has promised 
to those who are baptized, will come true. - 

706. What if we were to use water only, and had not the 
command and promise ? 

It would be simply water, and no Baptism. 

707. When is it a Baptism ? 

When with the Word of God. 

708. How does the Catechism explain Baptism in this place ? 

As a gracious water of life and a washing of 
regeneration in the Holy Ghost. 

709. Why is it called " a gracious water ?" 

Because through the promise of God it is full 
of grace. 

710. And why do we call it " a water of life ?" 

Because, through the grace in it, it works 
life, imperishable, eternal life. 

711. And why is it called " a washing of regeneration ?" 

Because it effects the new birth of the soul, 
while water is applied to the body. 

712. And why do we say " in the Holy Ghost ?" 

Because only the Holy Ghost can impart to 
the water through the Word the power to help 
souls to the new birth. 

713. Is not too much ascribed to Baptism in these words ? 

No, St. Paul says it. Tit. iii. 5. 

714. But the Scriptures do not call Baptism a water of life : 
do they ? 

In this passage St. Paul says that the Holy 
Ghost is shed upon us abundantly through 



BAPTISM. 151 

Jesus Christ our Saviour, that being justi- 
fied by His grace, we should be made heirs 
according to the hope of eternal life ; and adds, 
This is a faithful saying. 

XXXVII. 

715. What does such Baptism with water signify ? 

It points to the death of the old Adam, or of 
inborn sin, 

And to the quickening and resurrection of 
the new man, or of a new godly life. 

716 How is the putting-to-death of original sin signified in 
Baptism ? 

The old Adam in us is to be drowned and 
die. 

717. What is "to die?" 

The old Adam with all sins and evil lusts. 

718. And how is he to be destroyed ? 

By daily sorrow and repentance. 

719. Is this accomplished once for all ? 

No, daily sorrow, and repentance are neces- 
sary. 

720. And how long must this continue ? 

As long as we live, for the old Adam does 
not die till our souls leave the body. Rom. 
vii. 24. 

721. What is the use of Baptism then ? 

It assures us of the forgiveness of sins and 
of the power of the Holy Ghost for the battle 
of faith until the end. 1 Pet. iii. 21 ; Gal. iii. 

26ff. 



152 LUTHER'S SMAIX CATECHISM. 

722. How does Baptism signify the awakening of a new life ? 

The water covers us like a grave ; and we 
come forth like a dead man from the grave. 

723. Who was buried in Baptism ? 

A dead man : one laden with all sins and 
evil lusts. 

724. Who comes forth from Baptism ? 

A new man, who shall live before God in 
righteousness and purity forever. 

725. What makes this great change? 

The forgiveness of sins, the impartation of 
the righteousness of Christ and of the Spirit of 
sanctification, all given in Holy Baptism. 

726. But why is it said that the new man must come forth 
daily, since one is baptized only once? 

The old man does not die at once, neither is 
the new at once complete. The slaying of the 
old and resurrection of the new require there- 
fore the daily renewal of our baptismal cove- 
nant, until the work shall be completed in 
death and we fully enter into eternal life. Eph. 
iv. 22-24 \ Col. iii. 9, 10. 

727. What is the use of Baptism then ? 

It begins the quickening of the new man, 
and daily gives grace to put on anew the right- 
eousness and purity of the new man. 

728. What foundation in Scripture have we for this state- 
ment ? 

It is wholly taken from Rom. vi. 3ff. 



BAPTISM. 153 

739. Does the Apostle there liken Baptism to a burial ? 

Yes. He says, we are buried with Christ by 
Baptism into death. 

730. Why does He say, " with Christ" ? 

Just as Christ was buried in expiation of 
our sins, so are w T e buried in Baptism, and His 
atonement is reckoned to us as if we w 7 ere actu- 
ally buried for the punishment of sin. 

731. Does St. Paul also use the figure of a resurrection ? 

He says, Like as He was raised up from the 
dead by the glory of the Father, even so we 
also should walk in newness of life. 

732. What does he mean by this ? 

Just as Christ victoriously came forth from 
His battle against sin and death and the devil, 
so should we, to whom His victory is imputed, 
live in holiness and joy as victors over sin and 
death and the devil, until our end, and forever. 



QUESTIONS INTRODUCTORY 

TO THE PART CONCERNING 

THE OFFICE OF THE KEYS AND 

CONFESSION. 



XXXVIII. 



733 What do you notice when you look at the so-called 
Sixth Part in the Catechism ? 

That it is divided into two parts, marked A 
and B. 

734. Why is this? 

In order to mark the fact that the part 
marked A has been added to Luther's Cate- 
chism from the Kinderpredigten of the Church 
Order of Brandenburg- Niirnberg of the year 

'533- 

735. Why have we added it ? 

Although omitted from the Book of Concord 
of 1580, we keep it here, after the example of 
both old and new Catechisms, because it excel- 
lently completes the instruction of the Cate- 
chism. 

(i54) 



OFFICE OF THE KEYS. 1 55 

736. Of what then does this Part of the Catechism consist ? 

First of the words of Christ concerning the 
Office of the Keys, and then of Luther's ex- 
ample of how the simple are to be taught to 
confess. 

737. And what is the subject of the whole? 

The Office of the Keys and Confession. 

738. What do you understand by the Call and the Office of 
the Keys ? 

The vocation and office of Pastors (Eph. iv. 
11) and of Stewards of the Mysteries of God 
(1 Cor. iv. 1). 

739- Why do you call this the Office of the Keys ? 

Because to the Ministry, according to the 
figure which our L,ord employed, the Keys are 
entrusted. Matt. xvi. 19; cf. John xx. 21-23. 

740. What do you mean by saying " To the Ministry 
the Keys are entrusted ?" 

The master of a house entrusts his keys to 
his steward, i. e. he gives him the oversight of 
his house, puts him over all that comes in and 
goes out, and over his stores and treasures. 
The keys always imply a certain authority. 
See Is. xxii. 21, 22. 

741. If then the Lord says to Peter, I will give thee 
the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven ; what does He 
mean? 

This means something like this: I will 
make thee a steward in my Kingdom, that thou 
mayest look after all that comes in and goes 
out (1 Cor. iv.), i. e. that thou mayest admin- 



156 ujther's smaix catechism. 

ister the treasures I have laid up for others, and 
that to every one of my people thou mayest 
give out of my riches what will answer to the 
needs of his soul. 2 Tim. ii. 15. 

742. Did He give the Office of the Keys to Peter 
alone ? 

No. In St. John xx. 21-23, He gave it to 
the other disciples also, and to other ordained 
stewards. 

743. But does He not, Matt, xviii. 158"., give the Office 
of the Keys to the whole Church, and not to the 
ordained pastors alone ? 

He gave the Keys to the whole Congrega- 
tion, for all the members dwell in his house, 
and everything is theirs, Keys, Office of the 
Keys, and Bearers of the Keys, Paul, Apollos, 
Cephas, all are theirs ; given to them for their 
salvation and blessing and peculiar possession. 
Yet not all to whom the Keys liave been given 
for a blessing are to bear the Office of the Keys, 
but only the called stewards and servants of 
Christ. 1 Cor. iv. i. 

744. What particular use of the Keys do we usually think of, 
when we speak of it ? 

The authority to forgive and retain sins. 

745. And what phrase results from this ? 

We speak of two Keys, that which looses and 
that which binds. 

746. Do men bind and loose with keys ? 

The iron bonds of prisoners are bound and 
loosed, shut and opened, with keys. 



OFFICE OF THE KEYS. 1 57 

747. Who are those whom these Keys bind and loose ? 

The children of men. 

748. Are these in prison and in chains ? 

They are bound from their birth with the 
chains and bonds of sin and condemnation. 

749. Who are loosed ? 

Those who, penitent, flee to the Gospel, and 
hunger and thirst after righteousness. 

750. How are they loosed ? 

By the proclamation and impartation of the 
forgiveness of sins. 

751. What name have we for this ? 

The Absolution. 

752. Who are bound ? 

Those who persist in impenitence and sin in 
spite of all admonition, and despise the Gos- 
pel. 

753. Does this refer to the Jews and the Mahometans ? 

No, they never were free. We speak here 
of the sinners and unbelievers who belong to 
the Church, and therefore once were free. 

754. How are they bound ? 

By the proclamation, by authority of God 
and in His stead, that their sins are not for- 
given, but they abide under the wrath of God, 
and are shut out from the congregation until 
they repent. 

755. What name have we for this ? 

Excommunication . 



158 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

756. What is the consequence of it ? 

An excommunicate person must be excluded 
from the Holy Supper until he repents, be- 
cause he could receive it only to his condem- 
nation. 

757. Ought excommunication be pronounced hastily ? 

No. First we should observe the grades of 
admonition given by our Lord, Matt, xviii. 
i5ff. Only when this has been found fruitless, 
should we, according to the command of 
Christ, proceed to excommunication. 

758. What is the consequence of the Absolution ? 

Free admission to the Sacrament of the Altar 
and to all of the Church's treasures of grace. 

759. What then is the Office of the Keys ? 

A right division of the Word of God, through 
Absolution and Excommunication. 



QUESTIONS 

ON THE 

OFFICE OF THE KEYS AND 
CONFESSION. 



XXXIX. 

760. Does the Office of the Keys rest upon an institution of 
God? 

Yes, as is seen in the words cited from John 
xx. 21-23. 

761. What did our Lord do and say to His disciples when He 
instituted this Office ? 

He breathed upon them, and said to them, 
Receive the Holy Ghost. 

762. What did He then give to them ? 

With His breath He gave the Holy Ghost. 

763. Why did He give them the Holy Ghost ? 

To forgive and retain sins. 

764. What was implied in this Divine preparation for the 
forgiveness and retention of sins ? 

The commission and the command actually 
to forgive and retain sins. 

765. This can be proven from John xx. 21-23. Show me how ? 

If it were not the Lord's will that His ser- 

(i59) 



l6o LUTHER'S SMALL CATECHISM. 

vants should forgive and retain sins, He would 
not haVe confirmed their forgiving and retaining 
beforehand, in the words, Whosesoever sins ye 
I'ernit, &c. 

766. Is it certain that this Office still continues ? 

As certain as it is that the Lord commanded 
to preach the Gospel, i. e,, Absolution and for- 
giveness, to all men. The Absolution is noth- 
ing else than the Gospel, only that it is the 
closest and loveliest application of it to individ- 
ual persons. And it is obvious that the office, 
which even in the time of the Apostles be- 
longed to others than the Twelve, 2 Cor. iii. 6; 
v. 18, 19; 1 Cor. iii. 56°., has existed in the 
Church from the beginning until now. 

767. But did not the Apostles differ very much from 
later pastors in their right to the Office of the 
Keys ? 

While they were greatly helped in this Of- 
fice by their unusual gifts, yet the Absolution, 
and the refusal of it, is in the mouths of our 
pastors, as it was in the mouths of the Apos- 
tles, a Word of God the Holy Ghost. 

768. But what if hypocrites are absolved because 
their pastors cannot see their hearts ; or pious souls 
are excommunicated ? 

The guilt or responsibility does not cleave to 
the Pastor or to his Office, if he has erred 
through human shortsightedness. The h3 r po- 
crite abides in his sin, and the unrecognized 
pious man abides in his peaceful conscience 
and in the peace of God. 



OFFICE OF THE KEYS. l6l 

769. How ought a Christian regard the office of the Keys ? 

He should believe what the called minister 
of Christ says to him. 

770. When only should he thus believe ? 

When he deals with him according to Christ's 
Divine Ordinance. 

771. When does this occur? 

Especially when the called ministers of 
Christ exclude from the Christian Congrega- 
tion open and impenitent sinners, and absolve 
those who repent of their sins and wish to 
amend. 

772. Should all open sinners be excluded ? 

Those who repent should be absolved ; but 
those are excluded who are impenitent. 

773. Are all impenitent sinners excluded ? 

Impenitent sinners, whose sin is not open, 
cannot be excluded. 

774. But what if the pastor knows the sin, and knows 
that it is not repented of? 

Let him take the course advised in Matt, 
xviii. isff., and, if he sees it to be his official 
duty, withhold the Absolution'and the Sacra- 
ment ; but the formal excommunication is the 
climax of the course shown in that passage, by 
which the sin, at first known to but one or 
more, gradually becomes evident. 

775. Accordingly, what sinners are loosed, or absolved ? 

Those who repent and purpose to amend. 



l62 LUTHER'S SMAU« CATECHISM. 

776. Is it not enough to see that a person is penitent ? 

No. The sinner must express his purpose to 
amend that wherein he has sinned, and which 
he recognizes to be sin. 

777. Why ? 

Otherwise his repentance is not pure. 

778. When the Ministers of Christ act thus, what should we 
firmly believe ? 

That such a binding and loosing is as valid 
and certain in Heaven, as if our L,ord Jesus 
Christ Himself had done it. 

779. Where is the Absolution said ? 

In the Confession. 

780. Do you think this extract from the Branden- 
burg-Niirnburg Kinderpredigten, 1533, gives too 
much to the Office of the Keys, to the injury of the 
congregation ? 

No. The ministers of Christ discharge their 
office in His Name, and therefore with Divine 
authority. Therefore they should never for- 
sake the course laid down for them in Matt, 
xviii. i5fF. All they do, they do with the Con- 
gregation and for it. 

XL.* 

781. How many parts does Confession embrace ? 

Two. 

*The Catechism of I^uther is a real living churchly little book, 
because it teaches how the Church acts, confesses and absolves. 
This character is shown to belong to it beyond other Catechisms, 
by its Table of Duties, Prayers, and Questions before the Com- 
munion. 



OFFICE OF THE KEYS. 1 63 

782. What two ? 

First, that- we confess our sins. 

783. And secondly ? 

That we receive Absolution or forgiveness 
from the pastor. 

784. And how ? 

As from God Himself. 

785. "What will result, if we receive it as from God Himself? 

We will in no wise doubt. 

786. And? 

We will firmly believe that through it our 
sins are forgiven before God in Heaven. 

787. Does it make any difference whether we confess our sins 
before God, or before men ? r* ^ 

In each case it is a different confession. 

788. "What sins should we confess before God ? 

All sins, even those which we do not dis- 
cern. 

789. Why? 

Because we neither notice nor can perceive 
how often we come short, but God sees and re- 
members. 

790. "Where do we thus confess our sins ? 

In the Lord's Prayer. There we say, For- 
give us our trespasses, — putting all our sins to- 
gether, those we discern and those we do not 
know. 



164 UJTHER'S SMAI<I< CATECHISM. 

791. But what sins should we confess to our pastor ? 

Those sins only which we know and feel in 
our heart. 

792. Must a man then confess to his pastor every sin of 
which he is conscious ? 

No, those 011I3' which he knows and feels in 
his heart, 

7g3. How does a man " feel sins in his heart ?" 

They are hard and heavy, they cause anx- 
iety and bitter tears, as is seen in the case of 
Peter, Luke xxii. 62. 

794. Why should a man confess to his pastor the sins he 
knows and feels ? 

Because for them especially he needs the com- 
fort of the Absolution. 

795. But how can a pastor absolve, if he does not 
know all a man's sins ? 

He absolves in God's Name. God does it 
through him. God knows all a man's sins, 
and in Christ Jesus forgives even those which 
a penitent does not know. He knows the sin, 
the penitence and the faith, and will respect 
His absolution. For the pastor it is enough 
that he absolve no open and impenitent of- 
fender, and therefore does not share any one's 
sin and impenitence. 



XLI. 

epare for 

Let him consider his station. 



796. If one wishes to prepare for Confession, what shall he 
do? 



OFFICE OF THE KEYS. 1 65 

797. What " Station" is meant ? 

The station of a father, or of a mother, or of 
a son or a daughter, of a master or a mistress, 
of a manservant or a maidservant. 

798. And how shall you consider your station ? 

In the light of the Ten Commandments. 

799. How is this done ? 

By answering questions suggested by the 
Ten Commandments. For instance, if you are 
a son or a daughter or a servant, have you 
been disobedient, unfaithful, slothful ; or in 
general, have you wronged any one by word 
or deed. 

800. And if on such an examination you find sins, which op- 
press you and you feel in your heart ? 

Then I may confess to my pastor what I 
know and feel, in somewhat the same manner 
as the example given in this book. 

801. But what if you find no sin to accuse yourself of? 

I will certainly always find more than 
enough. 

802. We can however imagine men not knowing what to 
confess. What ought they do ? 

Let them beware of r^pocrisy, and let them 
say the General Confession which it is custom- 
ary to say to God in public worship, also to the 
pastor that he may absolve them. 

803. How does this Part of the Catechism close ? 

With the beautiful formula of Absolution. 



166 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

804. Is not this formula very short ? 

It is short, but it tells me all I can wish to 
know in the Absolution ; so much that I could 
— if I were what I should be — draw strength 
and refreshment from it all my life. * 

805. But those who have a heavyweight on their conscience, 
or are troubled and tempted : do they not need more ? 

The pastor will know well enough how to 
comfort such and bring them to greater faith, 
with additional words of God. 

806. Could depressed, troubled and tempted souls keep to 
the formulas of the Catechism in their Confession ? 

Not easily. The heart will overflow, and 
they w 7 ill find a way of confessing that needs 
no formula. 

807. For whom then is the formula given ? 

For the simple, for those who do not know 
how to find a better way, but in all matters 
need to be told what to do. 

*He who has forfeited his life, can get a pardon either in a 
long speech, or in the three words, Thou shalt live. Will he 
wish for a long speech, when he has heard the three words? 
Will they not be great and glorious to him, and sweeter than 
honey and the honeycomb ? 



QUESTIONS ON PART V. 



XLII. 

808. What is the subject of this Part of the Catechism ? 

The Sacrament of the Altar, or the Holy- 
Supper. 

What is an Altar ? 

809. Why is this Sacrament called the Sacrament of the 
Altar ? 

Because it usually is administered at the 
Altar. 

810. And why is it called a Supper ? 

Because it is a meal, which in the first in- 
stance was dispensed by our Lord in the even- 
ing- 

8zz. What does the Catechism say the Holy Supper is ? 

The Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. 

8z2. Is there not perhaps in the Holy Supper only a symbol 
of the Body and Blood of Christ ? 

No. The Sacrament of the Altar is the true 
Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

8Z3. Why must this be said so earnestly ? 

Because the Reformed deny the presence of 
the true Body and Blood of our Lord in the 
Supper. 

(167) 



168 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

814. Why do we not agree with the Reformed in this, it 
being so wonderful a thing that the Body and Blood of Christ 
should be wherever the Holy Supper is administered? 

Because the Lord plainly said, This is my 
Body, This is my Blood. 

815. But can the Body and Blood of the Lord be seen and 
tasted in the Supper ? 

No. His glorified Body and His precious 
Blood are, on account of our gross sins, not 
perceptible. 

816. Where then are the Body and Blood of Christ to be 
sought and found in the Holy Supper ? 

Under the bread and wine. 

817. What are the bread and wine therefore called ? 

The two forms or elements of the Body and 
Blood. 

818. Are the bread and wine in the Holy Supper only visible 
forms, so that only Body and Blood are there, and not bread 
and wine? 

No. Bread and wine are really there, are 
seen and tasted, and after consecration are 
called bread and wine by St. Paul. 1 Cor. x. 
16, 17. 

819. Does anybody deny that bread and wine remain in the 
Holy Supper, just as the Reformed deny the presence of the 
Body and Blood ? 

Yes. The Romanists say that in the Supper 
the bread and wine are changed into Body and 
Blood, and that of the bread and wine nothing 
remains but the outward appearance. 

820. What do we say, inasmuch as we learn from the Holy 
Scriptures to acknowledge the presence of the Body and 
Blood, and also of bread and wine ? 

We say that the Body is united with the 



SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. 1 69 

bread, and the Blood is united with the wine, 
and therefore under the bread we receive the 
Body of Christ, and under the wine we receive 
the Blood of Christ. 

821. Why are Body and Blood offered to us in the Holy Sup- 
per under the bread and wine ? 

To eat and to drink. 

822. How do you prove this ? 

By the words of Christ, Who says, Eat, 
Drink. 

823 If the Body and Blood of Christ are in the Holy Supper 
for us to eat and drink, for what purpose are they not there ? 

They are not there to be looked at, carried 
about, and worshipped, for they are not given 
for that. 

824. To whom are the Body and Blood of Christ given to eat 
and to drink ? 

To us Christians. 

825. How do we become Christians ? 

By Baptism and faith. 

826. Can unbaptized persons receive the Holy Supper, then ? 

No. 

827. Can unbelievers? 

No. They are not Christians. 

828. How can unbelief be detected ? 

If one openly professes that he does not be- 
lieve in Jesus Christ, or if he indeed wishes to 
pass for a Christian but lives in stififnecked im- 
penitence and vice. 



170 LUTHER'S SMAU, CATECHISM. 

82g. Are there not a good many who confess Christ, but are 
not His at heart, yet of whom it would be impossible to prove 
this? 

Such are hypocrites, and they receive the 
Sacrament to their own peril. 

XLIII. 

830. Can we observe the Holy Supper with a good con- 
science ? Ought we do so ? 

Yes, we ought. It was instituted by Christ 
for that purpose. 

831. Who have told us about it ? 

The three Evangelists, Matthew, Mark and 
Luke, and St. Paul in 1 Cor xi. 

832. "When did our Lord institute the Holy Supper? 

The same night in which He was betrayed. 

833. What night was that? 

The night between Holy Thursday and 
Good Friday; for then Judas had betrayed 
Him. 

834. What did our Lord then do ? 

He took the bread. 

835. What sort of bread was it ? 

Thin unleavened cakes, such as the Jews 
used in the Passover. 

836. And what did Ke do, when he had taken the bread ? 

He gave thanks, as He always did before 
eating. 

837. And then ? 

He brake the bread. 



SACRAMENT OF THE AI/TAR. 171 

838. Did each disciple receive a whole loaf or cake ? 

No, each received a bit of the same loaf. 

839. Did the disciples help themselves to the bread ? 

No, He gave it to them. 

840. Did they receive it in their mouths, or in their hands ? 

We do not know, and it makes no difference. 
At any rate He gave it for their mouths, to 
eat. 

841. What did He say ? 

Take, eat, this is my Body. 

842. And therefore what, according to His own words, did 

He give with the bread ? 

His Body. 

843. What Body ? 

The Lord said, My Body, which is given for 
you ; therefore no symbol, but His true Body. 

844. How could He do this when He was there before 
their eyes in the body ? 

That He could do it, we know because He 
said so. How He did it, is His care, not ours, 
nor do we know. It was however no greater 
miracle than He does now in distributing the 
Body in which He lives forever, to so many 
thousands of believers. 

845 We receive the Body that was given for us. Why was 
it given ? 

To bear the punishment of death for our 
sin. 

846. Why do we say it was given for us ? 

Because the Body of Christ was given instead 



172 ujthkr's smau, catechism. 

of, in the place of, our body, and therefore for 
our benefit. And in consequence, our body 
will not be punished. 

847. Do we receive it to our benefit, * n tne Sacrament ? 

How can it be otherwise, if we are. His dis- 
ciples ? John vi. 54. 

848. Wherein does the blessing derived from the Sac- 
rament consist ? 

If we receive with our mouths the Body that 
was given for us, we can no longer doubt, but 
we surely know, that it was given for us, and 
we are at peace with God. It is like the sac- 
rificial meals of the Old Testament. We can- 
not doubt that the Sacrifice has been offered, 
if we eat of it. 

849. What do we spiritually feed upon in the holy Body ? 

Complete peace in the Sacrifice offered for 
us, and forgiveness of sins, therefore eternal 
life for body and soul. John vi. 54. 

850 What else did our Lord say after giving His Body to 
the disciples ? 

Do this. 

851. What ought we do therefore ? 

Take bread, give thanks, break it, hand it, 
sav what He said, and receive the heavenly 
Gift. 

852. And why ought we do this ? 

In memory of Him, to show forth His life 
and suffering and death for us. 



SACRAMENT OF THE AI/TAR. 1 73 

853. Is the Holy Supper therefore a Memorial of Jesus ? 

Most certainly it is. 

854. In it do we commemorate Him only ? 

No, He remembers us and our need much 
more, and in the Bread gives to us His Body 
for the remission of sins. We remember Him 
in receiving the bread, and He remembers us 
by giving us in, with and under the bread His 
Body, that we may become members of His 
Body, His flesh and blood ; and He gives to us 
forgiveness of sins, that body and soul may re- 
joice in the Living God. 

XLIV. 

855. What else did our Lord do after they had supped ? 

He took the Cup. 

856. An empty cup ? 

No, it was filled with wine. He took the 
cup, because of the wine which was in it, 
which He w r ished to give. 

857. And then ? 

He gave thanks, and gave it to His dis- 
ciples. 

858. And what did He say ? 

Drink ye all of it. 

859. Why then do Romish priests not give the Cup to all 
Christians ? 

^ They say that our Lord gave it to His dis- 
ciples only, and they were priests. 



174 LUTHER'S SMALI, CATECHISM. 

860. Are they right in this ? 

If they were right, the same reasoning would 
withhold the bread from the people. 

861. Was the Cup withheld from the people in the time of 
the Apostles ? 

No. In St. Paul's 1st Epistle to the Corin- 
thians it may be seen that the whole congrega- 
tion received both the Body and the Blood, and 
we know that many centuries passed before the 
withdrawal of the Cup. 

862. What was the reason for this ? 

The fear of spilling some of its contents. 

863. Why is there no danger of spilling any of Christ's 
Blood? 

Because the Almighty Lord unites His Blood 
with the wine which is drunk, but not with the 
drops of wine which are spilled. The error of 
the Romanists is a consequence of their wrong 
teaching that there is only Blood, and merely 
the appearance of wine, in the Holy Supper. 

864. But how could they withhold the Cup from the 
laity without breaking our Lord's command, Drink 
ye all of it ? 

They argued that as no body is without 
blood, so the Blood of Christ is contained in 
His Body. 

865. And what do you say of this argument? 

The Lord, who is wiser than men, said, 
Drink ye all of it ; and a servant ought not de- 
part from His Master's. word, 



SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. 1 75 

866. What did the Lord say of the Cup ? 

This Cup is the New Testament in my 
Blood, which is shed for you for the remission 
of sins. 

867. What does New Testament mean ? 

New Covenant. 

868. Was there an Old Covenant ? 

Yes. 

869. Through whom did the Lord institute it ? 

Moses. 

870. With blood ? 

Yes, the blood of beasts. Ex. xxiv. 4-8 ; 
Heb. ix. 19-22. 

871. On what was the Old Covenant founded ? 

On the obedience of men to the Law which 
God had given. 

872. And on what is the New Covenant founded ? 

On the perfect obedience of Christ, and upon 
His suffering and death. Heb. ix. nff. 

873. What is promised and given us for Christ's sake ? 

The forgiveness of sins. 

874. How does God keep the New Covenant with us ? 

By giving us the forgiveness of sins. Heb. 
x. 16, 17. 

875. And how is it kept by us ? 

When we trust His forgiveness. 



176 LUTHER'S SMAIX CATECHISM. 

876. How are we rendered certain of His forgiveness ? 

By receiving the Blood which was shed for 
the forgiveness of our sins. 

877. Why thus ? 

Because we cannot doubt that we have re- 
conciliation and forgiveness, if we drink the 
Blood that was shed for the forgiveness of sins. 
Heb. ix. 13, 14. 

878. Why does Christ say of the Cup : This is the 
New Testament ? 

Because in it He gives the Blood of the Cov- 
enant, by the believing reception of which we 
set our seal to the Covenant which is estab- 
lished between the Lord and us by the shed- 
ding of His Blood. The Cup is called the New 
Covenant, because it renders us certain of our 
Covenant with God and confirms it, just as I 
can call a book my consolation, if I derive con- 
solation from it. 

879. What shall we do as often as we drink of the Cup ? 

Do it in memory of Christ. 
XLV. 

880. Which of the Words of Institution show us the benefit 
we derive from the Holy Supper? 

Given and shed for you for the remission of 
sins. 

881. What is given to us through these words in the Sacra- 
ment, if we hear them with faith ? 

Forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. 



SACRAMENT OF THE ALTAR. 1 77 

882. But these words speak only of the forgiveness of sins ? 

Where there is forgiveness of sins, there is 
also life and salvation. 

883. Has every one who eats and drinks in the Sacrament life 
and salvation ? 

No. It is not the eating and drinking that 
does it. 

884. Why not? 

How could so little a human work bring 

eternal blessing. 

885 How then do we receive this blessing ? 

Through the words that stand here : Given 
and shed for you, for the remission of sins. 

886. And what do we therefore call these words ? 

The chief thing in the Sacrament. 

887. But the Catechism says these words ** which accom- 
pany the bodily eating and drinking," are the chief thing. 

Why? 

Because without the Eating and Drinking 
there is no sacrament of the Altar, and the 
whole blessing of the Sacrament is lost. For 
the L,ord said, Eat, Drink. 

888. Do all who eat and drink, have what they declare and 
mean, namely the forgiveness of sins ? 

No, only those who believe these words. 

889. And what of those who do not believe these words ? 

They receive the Body and Blood of the 
Lord without the forgiveness, life and salva- 
tion. 



178 luther's small catechism. 

890. How do they receive the Body and Blood of Christ? 

To condemnation. 1 Cor. xi. 27:6?. 

891. On what does all depend ? 

That we receive worthily. 

892. Is this the same thing as to be worthy of the Sacra- 
ment ? 

O no. No man can be worthy of it, however 
holy he may be. 

893. What is it then to receive worthily ? 

It is to receive it in a way that honors the 
heavenly Gifts and the Heavenly Giver. 

894. And is this effected through fasting and bodily prepara- 
tion ? 

No. 

895. But may we not fast ? 

Who will, may. It is a good outward dis- 
cipline, and is not to be rejected so long as too 
great value is not ascribed to it. 

896. What does the Apostle say ot bodily preparation ? 

Bodily exercise profiteth little. 1 Tim. iv. 
8. 

897. Is it of no use then ? 

Little is not nothing. 

898. How can you see that bodily exercise is of some use ? 

By observing persons who use it, and again 
those who do not, w 7 ho come to the Holy Sup- 
per without it, or even indulge their flesh on 
the day of the Holy Communion. 



SACRAMENT OF THF AI/TAR. 1 79 

8gg. Who, however, is truly worthy and well prepared ? 

He who has faith in these words, Given and 
shed for you for the remission of sins. 

900 And who, in spite of all outward preparation, is un- 
worthy and unfit ? 

He who does not believe these words, or 
doubts. 

What does " doubt" mean ? 

901. All in the Sacrament depends on the words, FOR YOU. 
On what IN YOU does all depend ? 

On Faith. The words "For You" require 
truly believing hearts. 

902 But are not very many condemned, when we add that 
we may not doubt ? 

There is a difference between doubt and 
doubt, 

903. What doubter is unworthy and unfit? 

He who is willing to doubt. He who fights 
against doubt and tries in faith to overcome it, 
is one of the w r eary and heavy laden, to whom 
Christ says, Come unto me, and I will give you 
rest. 



OF THE COMPREHENSIVE SUMMARY, RULE AND 
STANDARD, ACCORDING TO WHICH ALL DOC- 
TRINES SHOULD BE JUDGED AND ALL CON- 
TROVERSIES SHOULD BE DECIDED. 



(From the Preface to the For?nula of Concord.) 
i. We believe, teach and confess that the only rule 
and standard, according to which all dogmas and 
teachers should be esteemed and judged, are nothing 
else than the prophetic and apostolic Scriptures of the 
Old and New Testaments, as it is written Ps. cxix. 105 : 
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto 
my path." And St. Paul says, Gal. i. 8, "Though an 
angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you, 
let him be accursed." 

Other writings, of ancient or modern teachers, what- 
ever reputation they may have, should not be regarded 
as of equal authority with the Holy Scriptures, but 
should altogether be subordinated to them, and should 
not be received other or further than as witnesses, in 
what manner and at what places, since the time of the 
Apostles, the doctrine of the prophets and apostles was 
preserved. 

2. And because directly after the time of the Apos- 
tles, and even in their lives, false teachers and heretics 
arose, and against them in the Church, Symbols, i. e., 
brief, plain confessions, were composed, which were 
regarded as the unanimous, universal Christian faith 
and confession of the orthodox and true Church, 
namely, the Apostles" Creed, the Nicene Creed, and 
the Athanasian Creed ; we confess them as binding 
upon us, and hereby reject all heresies and dogmas 
which, contrary to them, have been introduced into 
the Church of God. 

(180) 



COMPREHENSIVE SUMMARY. l8l 

3. Moreover as to the schism in matters of faith 
which has occurred in our time, we regard the unani- 
mous consensus and declaration of our Christian faith 
and profession, especially against the Papacy and its 
false worship, idolatry and superstition, and against 
other sects, as the symbol of our time, viz., The First 
Unaltered Augsburg Confession, delivered to the Em- 
peror Charles V., at Augsburg, in the year 1530, in the 
great Diet, together with its Apology, and the Articles 
composed at Smalcald in the year 1537, and sub- 
scribed by the chief theologians of that time. 

And because such matters pertain also to the laity 
and the salvation of their souls, we acknowledge as 
Confessions the Small and Large Catechisms of Dr. 
Luther, as they are included in Luther's Works, as the 
Bible of the laity, wherein everything is comprised 
w T hich is treated at greater length in Holy Scripture, 
and is necessary for a Christian man to know for his 
salvation. 

In accordance with this all doctrines should be 
tried, and that which is contrary thereto should be re- 
jected and condemned, as opposed to the unanimous 
declaration of our faith. 

In this way the distinction between the Holy Scrip- 
tures of the Old and New Testaments and- all other 
writings is preserved, and the Holy Scriptures alone 
remain the only judge, rule and standard, according 
to which, as the only test stone, all dogmas must be 
discerned and judged as to whether they be good or 
evil, right or wrong.* 

But the other symbols and writings cited are not 
judges, as are the Holy Scriptures, but only a witness 
and declaration of the faith, as to how at any time the 
Holy Scriptures have been understood and explained 
in the Articles in controversy in the Church of God by 
those who then lived, and how the opposite doctrine 
was rejected and condemned. 

* Accordingly the Small Catechism must be compared with 
Holy Scripture, that we may know that its teaching is of God. 



BRIEF INSTRUCTION CONCERNING THE BIBLE, OR 
HOLY SCRIPTURES, THE PROOF OF OUR CON- 
FESSION, AND OF ALL DOCTRINE. 



i. What is the Bible f 

It is the Book of Books, a collection of books given 
us by God the Holy Ghost, the written Word of God 
to mankind. 

2. Into what two parts is this collection of holy books divided? 
Into the Old and New Testaments. 

3. Why is it thus divided f 

God has made with men a twofold Covenant or Tes- 
tament, the one with Abraham and his posterity that 
among all people they should be His own chosen peo- 
ple ; the second, however, with all believing disciples 
of Jesus Christ gathered from all the nations of the 
earth, that they should be His own chosen Church. 
The former part of the Bible contains those divine 
writings which were written in the time of the Old 
Covenant and refer to it. To those which were written 
in the time of the New Covenant, is given the name of 
the New Testament. 

4. What books belong to the Old Testament f 

The books of the Old Testament were arranged in 
the times of Ezra (478) and Nehemiah (444) in three 
divisions, the Law, the Prophets, and the Scriptures. 
Under the Law, were understood the Five Books of 
Moses. Among the Prophets were the books oi Joshua, 
Judges, Samuel, and Kings, and Isaiah, Jeremiah, 
Ezekiel, and the Twelve Minor Prophets. To the 
third division belonged, Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Canti- 
(182) 



INSTRUCTION CONCERNING THE BIBLE. 1 83 

cles, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther, Daniel, 
Ezra,Nehemiah and Chronicles. 

5. Do we still divide the books in this way f 
No. We commonly speak of the Historical, Poet- 
teal and Prophetical Books, and divide them thus : 

I. HISTORICAL BOOKS. 

i. The five books of Moses, the Pentateuch, viz., 
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, 

The work of one man, except the little that Joshua 
or others may have added afterwards. 

2. The book of Joshua. 

According to chapter xxiv. 26, the work of Joshua 
except the conclusion, and some little additions which 
cannot have been written by him. 

3. The book of Judges. 
The writer is unknown. 

4. The book of Ruth. 

Written after the time of David, by an unknown 
writer. 

5. 6. The first and second books of Samuel. 
These are one. The division was made in the C^reek 

translation called the Septuagint, and from it came 
into the Latin, the Vulgate, and into the Hebrew 
Bible. They have also beeu called the first and sec- 
ond books of Kings, and then four books of Kings 
have been spoken of. The writer is not known. 

7, 8. The first and second books of the Kings. 

These also were not divided originally. They are 
both by the same writer, whose name is not known. 
Probably it was the prophet Jeremiah. 

9, 10. The first and second books of Chronicles. 

In Hebrew, Annals. Jerome uses the word, Chron- 
icles. Written by a Levite, perhaps Ezra. 

11. The book of Ezra. 

Evidently by Ezra. 

12 The book of Nehemiah. 

By Nehemiah. Chapters 8-10 are ascribed to Ezra. 



1 84 THE OLD TESTAMENT. 

13. The book of Esther. 
Writer unknown. 

ii. poetical books. 

1. (14.) Job. 
Writer unknown. 

2. (15.) The Psalter or book of Psalms. 
Divided into five books (I. 1-41 ; II. to 72 ; III. to 

89 ; IV. to 106 ; V. to 150). Collections of Psalms be- 
longing to various periods, especially to the time of 
David. 

3. (16.) Proverbs. 

A collection of Proverbs, in three parts : 1. to Chap- 
ter 9, collected by Solomon ; 2. Chapters 10-24, with 
new title, Proverbs of Solomon ; 3. Chapters 25-29, 
Proverbs of Solomon, wmich the men of Hezekiah, 
king of Judah, copied out, with two additions, The 
Words of Agur, Chapter 30, and Chapter »3i, the 
words of King Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother 
taught him. 

4. (17.) Ecclesiastes, or the Preacher. 

"The w r ords of the Preacher, the son of David,'* 
(i. 1) ; but i. 12, says, I was king, as though a dead man 
were represented as speaking. 

5. (18.) Canticles, the Song of Solomon. 

6. (19.) Lamentations. 

Five poems of Jeremiah, i. On the deportation 
and sufferings of the people ; 2. On the horrors of the 
destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple ; 3. On the 
sufferings of Jeremiah ; 4. On the rigorous judgment 
of God, and the hope of better times ; and 5. On the 
distress and shame of the people, with a prayer for 
restoration. 

III. PROPHETICAL BOOKS. 

1. (20.) Isaiah, between Uzziah and the death of 
Hezekiah, 759-699 B. C. 

2. (21.) Jeremiah, son of Hizkiah, the Priest, of 
Anathoth in Benjamin. From the 13th year of the 



INSTRUCTION CONCERNING THE BIBLE. 1 85 

reign of Josiah until after the destruction of Jerusalem, 
629-580 B. C. 

3. (22. ) EzEKiEly, son of Busi, the priest, among the 
captives carried away by Nebuchadnezzar with Jehoia- 
kim, about 600 B. C. Lived near the river Chebar, 
which empties into the Euphrates at Carchemish. 

4. (23.; Daniei,. In the 4th year of Jehoiakim 
(606 B. C.) taken captive to Babylon. Last prophecy 

. of the 3d year of the sole monarchy of Cyrus (536 B. 
C.) (Witness of Ezekiel, xiv. 14, 20, xxviii. 3, and of 
our Lord, Matt. xxiv. 15. ) 

5. (24.) HoSEA, son of Beeri, under Jotham, Ahaz, 
Hezekiah, Jeroboam II. 69 years in the prophet's 
office. 

6. (25.) Joel, son of Pethuel. It is uncertain 
whether he was a contemporary of Amos, or lived 
later under Manasseh (700 B. C). 

7. (26.) Amos, a shepherd of Tekoah, in the tribe 
of Judah, lived between the beginning of the reign of 
Jeroboam II. and the end of Uzziah's, 838-759 B. C. 

8. (27.) Obadiah. Prophesied against Edom, in 
the time of the destruction of the Temple (588 B. C.) 

9. (28.) Jonah, of Gath-Hepher in Zebulon, shortly 
beiore or under Jeroboam II. 838-797 B. C. 

10. (29.) Micah, of Morescheth-Gath, under Jotham, 
Ahaz, Hezekiah, 758-699 B. C. 

11. (30.) Nahum, prophesied the fall of Nineveh, in 
the time of Manasseh (699-644 B. C.) 

12. (31.) Habakkuk, under Jehoiakim, prophesied 
against the destroyers, 610-509 B. C. 

13. (32.) Zephaniah, under Josiah, 641-610 B. C. 
Declared God's chastisement of Jerusalem and of her 
enemies, w T ith Messianic prophecies for Jerusalem. 

14. (33.) Haggai, born in Chaldea, encouraged to 
the building of the Temple. Second year of Darius 
Hystaspis, about 520 B. C. 

15. (34.) Zechariah, son of Berechiah. A contem- 
porary of Haggai, like him encouraged to the building 
of the temple. 



1 86 



THE APOCRYPHA. 



J 6. (35.) MAirfACHi, an unknown contemporary of 
Nehetniah. About 450 B. C, under Artaxerxes Longi- 



6. What books sometimes are placed between the Old Testament 

and the New f 

The Apocrypha or Apocryphal books, i. e., such as, 
while they are good to read and useful, and always 
have been read in the Church, are not to be regarded 
as the Word of God, because they were not written by 
prophets, nor given by God, but all were written after 
the time of the prophets. 

7. Name the Apocryphal books f 

i. Judith. 

Judith, a pious widow of Bethulia, a city of which 
we know nothing, kills a general of Nebuchadnezzar, 
named Holofernes, in the twelfth year of the reign of 
that king. The return of the Jews from captivity is 
here supposed to have occurred at a time before they 
had been led into exile. The book probably was 
written in the time of the Maccabees. 

2. The Book of Wisdom. 

The most beautiful of the Apocryphal books. The 
author is unknown. It appears to have been written 
in Alexandria, shortly before the coming of Christ. 

3. Tobit. 

A pious Israelite of the tribe of Naphtali (of Thisbe 
in Upper Galilee) in 722 B. C, was carried captive to 
Nineveh by Shalmanassar. Having become blind in 
his 56th year, he receives sight again through his son. 
A fiction, of unknown date. 

4. The Book of Jesus Sirach or Ecclesiasticus. 
A teaching of wisdom, modeled on the Proverbs of 

Solomon. Chapter 1. 1-26, makes it appear as if Sirach 
were a contemporary of the High Priest Simon II. 
(217-196 B. C.) and had finished the book after the 
latter's death. The Greek translation, in which it has 
been preserved to us, comes from a grandson of the 



INSTRUCTION CONCERNING THE BIBLE. 1 87 

author, and according to a not improbable tradition, 
dates from 131 B. C. 

5. Baruch. 

Baruch, son of Neriah, Jeremiah's amanuensis, 
read this book before Jechoniah and other captives in 
Babylon in the 5th year of their captivity, and then 
it was sent to Jerusalem. Much that is in it cannot 
be reconciled with history. It certainly belongs to a 
later period. 

6. The two books of the Maccabees. 

The first book describes the war of the five sons of 
the priest Mattathias against the power of the Syrian 
kings, lasting forty years, 175-135 B. C. It probably 
was written 135-107 under John Hyrcanus, and in 
Greek. It is more worthy of belief than the second 
Book, which contains extracts from a history of a 
certain Jason of Cyrene relating to the deeds of the 
Maccabees. (1 76-1 61 B. C.) Probably written in 
Greek by an Egyptian Jew. 

7. Portions of Esther. 

In the Greek translation of the Bible these are inter- 
woven with the book of Esther. They cannot have 
been composed earlier than 142 B. C. 

8. Susannah and Daniel 1 A « th 

9. Bei, at Babylon. t £„„a It tht 

10. The Dragon at Babylon. \ f °™*J* the 

11. Prayer of Azariah. J ^P tua ^ nt - 

12. Song of the three Children in the Fiery 
Furnace. 

Much used by the Church, in all times. 

13. Prayer of Manasseh. 

Very beautiful. Found only in Latin. 

8. Are these all the writings which are called Apocrypha t 
There are others; but these are all that were re- 
ceived in Luther's translation of the Bible, and are 
printed in some English Bibles. 

9. Would it not be better always to omit them from the Bible f 

No. The Romanists hold these books as canonical; 



1 88 THE NEW TESTAMENT. 

the Reformed leave them out; the Lutheran Church, 
however, leaves them between the two parts of the 
Holy Scriptures, not as canonical Scriptures, but as 
useful and good to read, and as giving us information 
of the last four hundred years before Christ, of which 
otherwise we have none. 

io. What are the Scriptures of the New Testament f 

i. The Four Gospels, and the Acts of the Apostles; 

2. The Epistles, or Letters, of the Holy Apostles; 

3. The Revelation of St. John. 

Or, to mention the books separately : 

1. The Gospel of Matthew. 

Matthew, or Levi, first a Publican or Tax-gatherer 
at the seat of custom near Capernaum on the Sea of 
Galilee, then an Apostle, wrote his Gospel first for 
the Israelites. According to old tradition, he was the 
first of the Evangelists to write. 

2. The Gospel of Mark. 

Mark, or John Mark (Actsxii. 25; xv. 37), a relative 
of St. Barnabas, and according to old tradition, the 
companion and interpreter of St. Peter, is said to have 
written his Gospel after Peter's death, for the Italians. 

3. The Gospee of Luke. 

Luke or Lucanus, a physician, Col iv. 14, probably 
a Gentile-Christian, a companion and assistant of 
Paul, wrote (probably 64 A. D.) for a Christian named 
Theophilus, otherwise unknown to us, two books, to 
prove and confirm the instruction he already had re- 
ceived. These were this Gospel and the Acts of the 
Apostles. He writes for a Greek. 

4. The Gospee of John. 

John, son of Zebedee and Salome, the disciple 
whom Jesus loved, wrote his Gospel to contradict 
errors about the Person of Christ and His relation to 
the Father, probably under Domitian (95 A. D.) 011 
the rocky isle of Patmos, not far from Ephesus, 
whither he had been banished. He wrote for the 
congregations of Asia Minor which he presided over, 
and sent it to them by the presbyter Caius. 



INSTRUCTION CONCERNING THE BIBI^E). 189 

5. The Acts of the Apostles. 

Km braces the period from the Ascension of the 
Lord to the close of the two years' imprisonment of 
Paul at Rome, 30-64 A. 1). 

6. The Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans. 
Written at Corinth 57-58 A. D. Written to Rome, 

before Paul had been there. 

7. First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinth- 
ians. 

Written at Ephesus in 57. Corinth was the capital 
of Achaia, situate on an isthmus between Hellas and 
the Peloponnesus. There he had gathered a large 
congregation. 

8. Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinth- 
ians. 

Written in Macedonia, soon after the First Epistle, 
on a journey to Corinth, in 57, after he had received 
through Titus a report of the effect of his former 
letter. 

9. The Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians. 
In Galatia, the northern part of ancient Phrygia, 

dwelt in Paul's time Jews, Greeks, Phrygians and 
Celts, among whom he had founded congregations in 
the year 52. To them he wrote this letter from 
Ephesus in 55, principally to show the relation of the 
Old Testament to the New. 

10. The Epistle to the Ephesians. 

Ephesus, once the principal of the Ionian colonies 
on the Asiatic coast, some miles from the sea on the 
river Cayster, a meeting-point of the liveliest tend- 
encies, where Greek aesthetic idolatry encountered 
Asiatic theurgy. Between 54 and 57 a congregation, 
composed of Jews and Gentiles, had arisen, prepared 
by Apollos, but founded by Paul. This letter Paul 
sent with the letter to the Colossians, by the hand of 
Tychicus, from Rome, about 61-63. 

11. The Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians. 
Philippi, originally a Thracian city built on the 

slope of a hill to the north of the Strymon and called 



190 THK EPISTLES OF ST. PAUI,. 

Crenides, united with Macedonia by Philip, the father 
of Alexander the Great, and settled with banished 
Romans by Augustus. The congregation gathered 
there by Paul consisted principally of Gentile Christ- 
ians, and was the Apostle's crown and joy. From 
them he accepted support. Even to Rome they sent 
him assistance, through Epaphroditus, who then 
brought this letter back with him. 61-63. 

12. The Epistle of St. Paul to the Colossians. 
Colossae lay in Western Phrygia, on the river Lycus. 

St. Paul was in Phrygia in 52 and 54, and perhaps 
founded the congregation then. Epaphras came to 
Rome to Paul, and brought to his heart grateful 
memories of the congregations of Colossae, Laodicea 
and Hierapolis. Paul sent them this letter by Tychi- 
cus, with the letter to the Bphesians. 61-63. 

13, 14. The two Epistles to the Thessalonians. 
Thessalonica, formerly called Thermae, on the 

Thermaean Lake. A great commercial city, in which 
many Jews dwelt. The principal topic of these 
Epistles is the Second Coming of Christ. They are 
the first letters St. Paul wrote, from Corinth, in 53. 

15. The First Epistle to Timothy. 

Timothy, from a city of Lycaonia, probably Lystra, 
son of a Gentile father and a pious Jewish mother. 
He was a companion and a messenger of Paul. Paul 
intended him to be leader of the congregation at 
Ephesus, and this letter inducts him into that office. 
It is one of the last of Paul's letters. 

16. The Second Epistle of St. Paul to Timothy. 
Written from Rome shortly before the death of the 

Apostle. 

17. The Epistle of St. Paul to Titus. 

Titus, son of Gentile parents, companion and as- 
sistant of Paul. At the same time Timothy was sent 
to Ephesus, he was sent to Crete, to the same duty. 
Probably written between 64 and 66 from Macedonia. 

18. The Epistle of St. Paul to Philemon. 
Tychicus, who was to bring Paul's letters to Colossae 



INSTRUCTION CONCERNING THE BIBLE. I9I 

and Ephesus, was accompanied by Onesimus, who 
brought with him a letter from Paul to his master, 
Philemon. He was Philemon's runaway slave, had 
been converted by Paul at Rome, and the Apostle sent 
him back to his master, but asks the latter to set him 
free that he may use him in the service of the Gospel. 

19. The First Epistle of St. Peter. 

Simon, son of Jonas, a fisherman of Bethsaida on 
the Sea of Gennesareth, called by the Lord Cephas or 
Peter, and therefore Simon Peter. Pillar of the Church 
at Jerusalem. He died on the cross at Rome, June 
29th, 67 or 68. This letter was written from ' ' Baby- 
lon" between 64 and 67, to the Christians in Pontus, 
Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, and sent to 
them by Silas, the assistant of Paul. A witness of the 
unity between Peter and Paul. 

20. The Second Epistle of St. Peter. 
Written to the same persons. The farewell of the 

Apostle, who foresees his death, and once more raises 
his voice to warn against apostasy, error, and a denial 
of the judgment to come. 

21. First Epistle of St. John. 

Written without an especial address to his intimate 
Christians, his "Little Children." It refers to his 
Gospel, and may have been sent with it. 

22. Second Epistle of St. John. 

Addressed to a Christian lady who with her children 
walked in the truth. 

23. Third Epistle of St. John. 

To the presbyter Caius, the helper of the Apostle, 
probably the same that brought the Revelation of St. 
John from Patmos. 

24. The Epistle to the Hebrews. 

Written at the beginning of the Jewish War, about 
64, to the believers in Jerusalem and Judea, who were 
in danger of apostasy, because in fear of suffering, and 
were tempted to it by the worship of the Temple. A 
triumphant comparison of the Old and the New Testa- 
ments. 



192 THK GKNERAL EPISTLES. 

25. The Epistle of St. James. 

The author is the famous president of the Mother 
Church at Jerusalem, Acts xii. \j\ xv. 13; xxi. i8fF; 
whom aloue it befitted to send a letter to the twelve 
tribes scattered abroad. He calls himself "the brother 
of the Lord." Matt. xiii. 55; Mark vi. 6. (Acts i. 14; 
1 Cor. ix. 5.) A James is mentioned among the 
brothers of Christ, whom antiquity assumed to have 
been sons of Joseph by a former marriage. Many 
think he was the son of the sister of Mar)-, herself 
named Mary, mentioned Mark xv. 40. Others think 
he was the Apostle James, son of Alphaeus. Whoever 
he may have been, his Epistle is from the Holy Ghost, 
and does not contradict the doctrine of St. Paul. 

26. The Epistle of Jude. 

The author is the brother of James. See Mark vi. 
3. The letter assumes that James still is alive and 
probably was written about 60 A. D. An Apostle 
Jude is mentioned, Luke vi. 16; Acts i. 13, who in 
Mark iii. 18 is called Thaddaeus, Matt. x. 3, Lebbaeus 
and Thaddaeus. In contents this letter resembles the 
Second Epistle of Peter, though it has peculiarities of 
its own. 

27. The Revelation of St. John. The Apoca- 
lypse. 

A wonderful and very edifying proclamation of the 
final lot of the Church of God, of which more has 
been said, v/ritten and debated than of any other book 
of the Bible. Its genuineness is testified to from the 
beginning, and it is a worthy finial of the Holy Scrip- 
tures. The holy Apostle and great seer of the New 
Testament received this revelation from the Lord 
Himself on the island of Patmos under the Emperor 
Domitian (according to Irenaeus), or under Claudius 
(according to Epiphanius), and communicated it to 
the churches of Asia, and through them to the whole 
Church. 



INSTRUCTION CONCERNING THE BIBLE. I93 

11. You have said that the Scriptures of the Old Testament were 
collected at the end of the time of the Prophets, in the days of Ezra 
and Nehemiah. Can we say the like of the Scriptures of the New 
Testament : that they were collected towards the close of the Apos- 
tolic age f 

We cannot. For the collection of the Old Testa- 
ment were chosen the men of the Great Synagogue, 
especially Ezra and Nehemiah, who themselves had 
lived with Prophets and had received the Holy Ghost 
for their work. These highly-gifted men could do 
this work for the children of Israel; their position 
was such that they were sure of the confidence of their 
people. But the books of the New Testament were 
not given first of all to one people, and intended to 
be by them given to all nations, but had to commend 
themselves to the believers of all nations and by them 
be accepted as God's Word. To accomplish this there 
was no Synagogue, no Council — no single assembly 
of the Church had authority enough to commend the 
Scriptures of the New Testament to the whole Church 
as the very Word of God. This they did for them- 
selves, and most of them did it from the beginning; 
and though questions were raised as to the divine 
origin of some of them, these were overcome, and 
after the first four centuries all of them have been ac- 
knowledged to be divine. 

12. You have spoken of a Divine gift of the Holy Scriptures. 
What do you mean by itf 

The sacred writers received the impulse to write in 
their office, as well as the impulse to speak, from the 
Holy Ghost (1 Pet. i. 20, 21). While they wrote, the 
Spirit of God kept them from error in telling that 
which they knew before — He wonderfully helped 
them to remember, so that they, as for instance, St. 
John in his Gospel, faithfully give the words of whole 
discourses of God, of Christ, and of His Apostles and 
Prophets, tell all the histories in right connection, 
and are able to set forth all according to God's mean- 
ing and purpose. The Holy Ghost also opened their 



194 INSPIRATION. 

eyes to know what they had not known before, re- 
vealed to them the future and led them into all truth. 
And in all cases He gave them for the right matter 
the holy and perfect word, so that they wrote and 
spoke in words, ' ' as they were taught by the Holy 
Ghost." i Cor. ii. 13. This influence of the Holy 
Ghost upon the sacred writers we call Inspiration, 
and St. Paul himself witnesses, 2 Tim. iii. 16, that 
"all" or "the whole" Scripture is given by God. 
Compare 1 Cor. i. 2; 2 Cor. ii. 13; iii. 18. 

13. But is not the manner and style of every one of the sacred 
writers his own, and different from that of the others? If the 
Holy Ghost speaks through all of them, why is His manner of 
speech so various? 

It is one breath that sounds in the flute, the fife, the 
trumpet and the horn ; but in the different instruments 
the one breath gives a different sound. So one Spirit 
speaks through all the holy men of God — the sense 
and contents of their words is one and is harmonious 
— but the manner and style vary, as in the case of the 
musical instruments. There is one Spirit, but a dif- 
ference of gifts and tone — and this difference of tone 
is so much lovelier in the concord of the meaning. 

14. What do we call the whole of Holy Writ ? 

The Canon, that is, the rule and standard of our 
faith. 

15. Can there be no other rule and measure for us, than the Holy 
Scriptures ? 

No. As our Lord prayed in His high-priestly 
prayer, ' ' Sanctify them through Thy truth ; Thy word 
is truth," John xvii. 17. Only the truth can be our 
rule and judge, and the truth is God's Word, 'i. e., the 
Holy Scriptures. 

16. But do the Holy Scriptures contain all that God and Christy 
the Prophets and Apostles, have said ? 

No, of course not. The world could not contain the 
books that would be written, if it were attempted to 
set down all that Christ did and said. John xxi. 25. . 



INSTRUCTION CONCERNING THE BIBLE. 195 

17. Could it be said then that the truth is not wholly given in the 
Scriptures, and that therefore they cannot be our rule and standard? 

It would not be right to say so. If the word of the 
Old Testament is full enough to make wise unto sal- 
vation (2 Tim. iii. 15), how much more is the whole 
Bible of the Old and New Testaments. 

18. You say that the Scriptures contain enough to make us wise 
unto salvation : but do they not then contain all that the Holy 
Ghost has said? 

It is not necessary that they should; they contain 
enough, if they make us wise unto salvation. 

19. Does not the Roman Church teach that there is another source 
of information, the tradition of divine words and truth handed 
down from mouth to mouth ? 

Yes, they put such a tradition side by side with the 
Holy Scriptures. 

20. Has the Lutheran Church no respect for such tradition ? 

Yes, she respects every tradition, but she holds such 
tradition to be liable to error, and accepts it only 
when it agrees with the written Word of God; and if 
it tells something which the Holy Scriptures do not 
contain she does not dare to call it the Word of God. 
She tries tradition by the Word of God, and accepts 
no doctrine which is founded on tradition alone. 

21. Is not the Lutheran Church in danger of rejecting much that 
is divine ? 

She can reject nothing helpful to salvation, so long 
as she accepts the Word which contains all that is 
necessary to salvation. 

22. Did not our Lord promise to give to His Church His Spirit, 
who should lead her into all truth ? fohn xvi. 23. 

Yes, and the Church alwa3?s has the Holy Ghost ; 
but because a man can resist the Holy Ghost and 
wander from the truth, we are most certainly under 
His guidance when we simply cling to the certain 
written Word of God. The Lutheran Church, taught 



I96 A LAMP TO OUR FEET. 

by experience, is afraid of error, and seeks the Spirit 
who leads into all truth in the Divine Word alone. 

23. But are not the Holy Scriptures so hard to understand that 
we need tradition, or an interpreter sent or given by God? 

I know that Romanists regard their pope as such an 
infallible interpreter, but it is as well known that the 
popes themselves often have erred, and that they can 
produce no promise of such an interpreter. 

24. But does not the Bible need such an interpreter f 

The Bible, of which St. Paul (2 Tim. iii. 15, 16) 
writes that it can make wise unto salvation, and that 
it is useful for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and 
for instruction in righteousness, cannot be obscure. 

According to Luke i. 4, Luke wrote his Gospel that 
Theophilus might know the certainty of those things 
wherein he had been instructed. Can the Gospel be 
ill-adapted to that purpose? St. Paul wrote a number 
of Epistles: is it possible that the congregations to 
which he wrote them could not be made wise by his 
words? Can the Scriptures fall short of their aim? 
Is it not true that is said in Ps. cxix. 104, 105, Through 
Thy precepts I get understanding : therefore I hate 
every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet : 
and a light unto my path. 

25. But does not 1 Cor. ii. 14 say, The natural man receiveth not 
the things of the Spirit of God : for they are foolishness unto him : 
neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned f 

This does not say that the Bible is obscure; but that 
the natural man himself is in the dark. If he yield 
himself to the Word, it is clear to him, and the Spirit 
of God leads him from light to light. All depends on 
his not striving against it ; then the Word gives him 
understanding and becomes a light to his feet. 

26. Yet the spiritual man does not see everything, and it is unde- 
niable that even the most enlightened men have not understood 
everything in the Bible f 

True, yet it remains true that the Scriptures are 
clear enough to make wise unto salvation. It may be 



INSTRUCTION CONCERNING THE BIBLE. 197 

said that they contain three kinds of passages:. 1. 
Those which are clear enough for any one to under- 
stand ; 2. Those which are dark to all; and 3. Those 
which require study and explanation. 

27. How then shall a man use the Bible aright f 

First of all let him take hold of the first class of 
passages, those which are clear to all ; and these are 
the most numerous. Let him be modest in reference 
to those which no one understands; and these are 
few. And in reference to the third class let him be 
modest, and abstain from passion, sinful excitement 
and prejudice, and he will go further and further into 
their sense, and will get more and more light. 

28. What does St. Peter say of the difficult passages? 

He says, 2 Pet. iii. 16, that in Paul's Epistles "are 
some things hard to be understood, which they that 
are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the 
other Scriptures, unto their own destruction." 

29. What great help is offered to every right-minded and zealous 
reader of the Bible f 

The parallel passages, which are marked for us in 
the better editions of the Bible. That is, passages 
which treat of the same subject. 

30. How many kinds of parallel passages are there f 
Two, Real and Verbal parallels. 

31. What is the difference f 

Real parallels are such as treat of the same subject; 
Verbal \ such as contain the same word. 

32. How far can such passages help us to a better knowledge f 
Scripture explains itself; what may be lacking in 

one place, is found in another of the same import. 

33. But after all industry in reading, prayer and comparison, 
are we not hindered by defects in the translation ? 

Certainly we are; but the way of salvation is not 



198 THE HOLY SCRIPTURES. 

darkened in any of the great translations of Christen- 
dom. 

34. Can you mention human means which render it easier to 
understand the Bible ? 

Biblical Geography and Biblical Antiquities will 
help us to understand the Scriptures in their con- 
nection and to see their great beauty and excellence. 
They will make much clear, definite and vivid, 
which seemed dark ; and we will perceive the truth of 
what one of the church-fathers said, Circumstances 
throw light upon words. (Hilary.) 



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